Second Chance
by TrueNight1025
Summary: A new waitress is at the Diner, Gibbs feels a sense of familiarity. Then his whole world is flipped when she's the only witness to her mother's brutal murder. AU Tony and Ziva are in it still.
1. Humble Beginnings

**Hello! So this is my first NCIS fanfic. Things may be OOC so please be gentle and reviews and friendly criticism are always nice! Enjoy!**

* * *

The Diner: familiar, comforting, and good coffee. All the things Gibbs needed when he need food, coffee and something else besides his boat and bourbon. He always got his black coffee here, since the sludge at work was "not coffee".

He walked in and sat at his usual red booth, some other customers were on the other side of the diner. Within minutes like clockwork, Elaine the waitress showed up with a fresh, full pot of coffee and an empty mug.

"Mornin' Gibbs," she said smiling. He nodded, giving a slight smile.

The diner door ringed open, Gibbs and Elaine turned to see who it was; it was a young lady. She was in her early twenties wearing a diner uniform.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Elaine," the girl said frantically. "My mom-"

"At ease," Elaine said trying to comfort her. "You're not fired. Just get ready for the day."

The girl nodded and went through the backdoor to hang her coat up.

"She new, Gibbs," Elaine warned the marine. "Try and be nice."

"I'm always nice," he replied. She walked away laughing, he couldn't help but softly chuckle as well. He continued to sip his mug of coffee, both hands on the mug to warm him up.

Suddenly, he heard a commotion behind him; it was the new girl and a customer. The customer, from what Gibbs could tell, looked like a miserable man that no one could please.

"Hey, blondie," the customer said to the girl in a rough, rude voice. "What's taking so long?"

"Sir, I just got here," she replied. "What can I get you?"

"I asked for my eggs over-easy and these are over-medium."

"Really? I can never get my eggs like that. Gotta ask the chef how he does it." She sounded impressed.

"Just get it done already, blondie."

"Sir-as much as I hate calling you that-you already ate most of the food on that plate. You really want to complain about diner food?"

"Just do your job like a woman's suppose to do it: quiet."

She grabbed the plate and let the chef know the order was incorrect. Gibbs was still watching her, her unimpressed expression on her face reminded him of himself when Tony would go on with one of his movie references. Then the food was done.

"Elaine," she called out. "Do we have any stain remover?"

"No. Wh-" Elaine started to ask but then the girl 'accidentally' spilled the plate of food on the customer's lap.

"I spilt something. I'll get your check, sir."

Gibbs put his head back down and started laughing to himself. After laughing, he finished his cup of coffee. He got up from his booth and went to the bar to pay and get his coffee-to-go. By now, the grumpy customer had left.

"Janie, could you pour me a black coffee in a large to-go cup?" Elaine asked her.

 _"Janie,"_ Gibbs thought to himself. _"So that's her name."_

Janie poured the coffee and went over to Gibbs to hand it to him.

"That was pretty ballsy what you did back there," Gibbs said to her.

"Life's too short and Mom always says never to take the petty stuff seriously."

"Your mom sounds like a smart lady."

"Former First Sergeant, she better be. So what's your rank?"

"Mmm?"

"The haircut, the black coffee. Mom says 'no such thing as an ex-Marine'. So, what's your rank?"

"Former Gunnery Sergeant." Then Gibbs pulled out $10 from his wallet and gave it to Janie.

"What's this for?"

"For being you."

Janie tipped her hat to Gibbs and Gibbs left the diner to go to NCIS. Janie looked at the bill and looked up at a departing Gibbs. She couldn't help but remember his eyes; they sparkled ice blue but at the same time, they looked so sad and lonely.

But hey, he was just another customer... right...?


	2. Bad News

**Thank you so much for the likes and reviews! I hope everyone continues to like the story. It gets sad after this so tissues might be needed...**

* * *

Soon Gibbs found himself looking forward going to the diner. He didn't know why, but he felt something with Janie. Not romantic, goodness no! She was twenty-three! But he did feel something nonetheless. He would sip his coffee and Janie would talk to him when it wasn't busy or if she was her break.

"You know," she said. "When I get married, I want a man like you to be my husband."

"No ya don't," Gibbs joked, but he was serious.

"No, really. Simple, strong-minded, caring, a bit stubborn and roguishly handsome." Gibbs laughed.

"'Roguishly'?"

"...crosswords..."

* * *

Janie had finished her shift and was waiting at the bus stop. It was pouring down rain so she hid in the glass house, but it didn't help the cold wind that was blowing and the hard rain that was falling. Her mind was racing with personal issues, she could barely do her shift without her mind wandering. She was so into her deep thoughts that she barely recognized the headlights that were shining her way. She looked up to see a grey truck stopped beside the glass hut. She noted that it was a '97 F250 and who better to be behind the wheel of a 20th century vehicle than the silver fox himself.

"Gibbs?!" She yelled through the rain and open window.

"Why are you out in the rain?" He shouted back.

"The bus. I'm headed home."

"Not in this weather, you're not. Get in the truck."

"I don't wanna impose."

"Well, I am. Now get your butt in the truck!"

Janie sighed and got in, she knew Gibbs wouldn't let up. When she got in, she rolled up her window and buckled up.

"Where do you live?" He asked.

"5th and Johnson," she replied. He started driving.

"That's almost an hour walk from here."

"On good days, I walk home. And sometimes bad."

"Is this a bad day? Noticed you were off your game a bit."

"It's my mom. She just had surgery and she's in a lot of pain. She's always nauseous and fatigued," she sighed sadly. "Why am I even telling you this? You probably don't care."

"Some people need to talk it out. I know a girl like that. She always come to me to talk and I just listen."

"You're a really good listener. Mom says my dad was a good listener too."

"You mentioned you only lived with your mom. No dad?"

"Never knew my dad. Mom says he found someone else when she was pregnant with me," then they got her house, a bungalow. "Thanks for the ride, Gibbs."

She got out of the truck and ran to the door.

* * *

It was early at NCIS when McGee came in with a huge grin on his face.

"Uh oh," Tony said jokingly. "That look only means one of two things. You got laid or you got a high score on one of your McNerdy games."

"Can Tim be happy without a reason?" Ziva asked Tony.

"Not our Little Timmy," Tony walked over to his desk. "So what is it that has you smiling?"

"Delilah and I are going to ComiCon this year," McGee said. "We shall be going as the Elf King and Queen."

"Oooooooooooo!" Tony tapped his fingertips together to mock McGee. "All nerds and geeks gathered under one roof."

"ComiCon is very popular around the world. You get to be your favourite character for a day."

"So it's like Halloween minus the candy," Ziva concluded. "Why would a grown person dress up like a made-up character?"

"It's fun," McGee said. "Plus you can get limited edition merch there."

"Do any nerds there dress up as the sexy anime characters?" Tony's perverted mind asked.

"Why don't you go and see, DiNozzo?" Like on cue, Gibbs came in the room; then his desk phone started ringing. "Yeah, Gibbs... Where?... Are you sure that's the address?"

The three coworkers noticed the change of tone in Gibbs' voice. He sounded concerned, like someone he knew had died. He hung up and grabbed his stuff.

"Gear up."

Like clockwork, his team grabbed their gear and headed to the elevator. They had to speed walk because Gibbs had rushed so fast to the elevator, they almost didn't catch it.

"You okay, Boss?" Tony asked.

Gibbs said nothing.

* * *

The team got to the address of the crime scene; a former First Sergeant had been shot three times. When the team pulled in front of the residence, they saw police talking to the neighbours and gawkers trying to see what had happened. Gibbs mentally bit his lip, he knew this address. He had been to it before. In the rain.

"DiNozzo, witnesses. Ziva, bag and tag. McGee, photos," Gibbs ordered his team.

"On it, Boss," Tony replied. They were all concerned about Gibbs' more-than-odd behaviour today, but they dare not say anything.

Gibbs walked up to the bungalow, a bit cheaper of a place for a former First Sergeant. He walked in to see a home, not just a house but a home. The walls were painted white and chocolate brown curtains gave the room an earthy accent. He saw Ducky and Palmer on the ground beside the body of the former First Sergeant. She was wearing black slacks, a mustard yellow tank top, and her medium blonde hair was in a high ponytail.

"Whatcha got, Duck?" Gibbs asked.

"Our poor Sergeant received three gunshot wounds, two in the chest and one in the face," Ducky analyzed. "I would say cause of death would be three GSWs."

"More like two," Palmer added. "The second gunshot went right into her heart. I would say this was the kill shot. The shot to her head was delivered postmortem, note the lack of blood."

"Personal," Gibbs concluded.

"Precisely," Ducky agreed. Then the team entered the house.

"9-1-1 got a call of gunfire so they came and found this," Tony informed everyone. "The house belongs to a Chloe Cooper."

 _RADDLE!_

A sudden noise was heard, the team jumped and immediately pulled out their sidearms. The noise came from the coat closet across the room. Tony and Ziva walked slowly to the closet and opened it, keeping their guns aimed inside the small area. There they saw a girl with long, blonde hair with blunt bangs, wearing a blue fit-and-flare summer dress and black leggings. Her head was down, her knees were close to her body and she had what looked like a black stuffed animal doll in her arm.

"Who are you?" Ziva asked in a demanding voice; the girl shut down and didn't move.

Gibbs' gut started turning on its instincts and went over, he knew who it was.

"Stand down," he ordered Tony and Ziva, they obeyed. He knelt down in front of the opening of the closet and took off his NCIS cap. "Janie."

The gentle tone took everyone by surprise, especially Tony. The girl rose her head, tears stained her rosy cheeks and fogging her sparkly, cat glasses. Her steel blue eyes widened when she saw the face that belonged to the gentle and familiar voice.

"Gibbs!?" Janie was shocked and happy to see him. "Why are you here?"

"I'm NCIS," he replied. "Wanna come out?"

"Mom's dead!" She sobbed loudly. "I'm scared!"

"I'm right here."

He reached out his calloused hand to her, she hesitated by eventually grabbed it. As soon as they got to their feet, she smothered her face in Gibbs' chest and started shaking in fear. He embraced her by holding her gently and shushing her like a father would to help his daughter sleep after a nightmare.

"Let's get you out of here."

He kept her line of vision blocked from seeing her corpse mother. She kept her head down and used Gibbs as a guide so she wouldn't fall.

"She was dead," Janie whispered quietly.

"What?" Gibbs asked.

"She was already dead when he shot her in the head. You said that meant it was personal."

That meant one thing: she saw her mother's murder.


	3. Investigation

**I LOVE all the support! Love you all! Gonna try and post within days but don't hate me if I don't.**

* * *

Janie sat on the back of the ambulance, a paramedic checking her out to make sure she was physically alright. She was quiet the entire time, rocking back and forth holding her doll for comfort. She wouldn't talk to anyone, not even Gibbs. Gibbs decided to talk to Ducky about it.

"She's not talkin', Duck," Gibbs told him.

"She's probably so traumatized by her mother's death," Ducky replied. "I noticed she's carrying a stuffed doll. My guess it's what makes her feel safe."

"That's a Sonic character," McGee happen to chime in.

"A what?" Gibbs was completely confused with most of McGee's geek talk... as usual.

"A Sonic the Hedgehog character doll."

"The Sega guy?"

"Exactly."

"Let's get her back to NCIS. You'll be in on the interview."

* * *

The team got back to headquarters with Janie to interview her; being the only witness to the crime, they needed information. They brought her to the interview room, she sat with her back to the window. Gibbs and McGee sat on either side of the table. Janie kept her head down, holding her doll safe.

"That's Shadow," McGee said to Janie.

"Huh?" She asked.

"Your doll, Shadow the Hedgehog. First appeared in Sonic Adventure 2. My fiancée and I are going to ComiCon this year."

"I've always wanted to go!" She got excited, then she got slightly somber again. "My mom said she was going to take me his year. I even made my outfit, too..."

Silence.

"Janie, we need to talk about your mom," Gibbs reached his hand out for Janie's, but as soon as contact happened she pulled her hand back and held it.

"I don't handle touch well," Janie stated. "I... I have... autism. I'm not dumb. I'm special. I think different, is all. Please don't judge."

"I build boats in my basement."

"I'm almost forty and I'm dressing up in an elf costume," McGee added. Janie smiled again. "You think you're up for some questions?"

Janie nodded.

"What kind of woman was your mom?" Gibbs asked.

"She was the greatest," Janie explained. "She always put others before herself."

"Do you know who might want to hurt your mom?"

"No, no one. Mom's not like most people. She chose to be single, she likes... liked... her freedom. It's me and her."

"Is there any place you can stay?" McGee asked. "A relative's? A friend's?"

"No friends and no family."

"Everyone has friends."

"Not me. My autism and Christianity have a tendency to keep people at bay. Mom didn't have any siblings and her parents are dead. I'm alone."

Gibbs and McGee were quiet. Having no one to rely on for help sounded scary to them.

"What am I gonna do?"

* * *

The team was in the bullpen area gathering information about the victim.

"Former First Sergeant Chloe Cooper, age fifty-five," Tony started off. "Retired in 2012 to spend more time with her daughter. Parents deceased, no siblings, never married."

"Finances, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"Her financials aren't suspicious," McGee continued. "No expensive expenses, just the movies for two."

"Mother-daughter time," Gibbs concluded. "Ziva, the daughter."

"Janie Jethro Cooper," Ziva said. "Twenty-three, works at the Diner. No criminal record. Her school reports states she was a good, quiet student who kept to herself. Above average marks."

"She was right, Boss," McGee said. "She really is alone."

Troubled by this thought, Gibbs got on his cell and called Abby. As he talked he went down to autopsy.

* * *

Ducky was down in autopsy alone, Palmer had taken the bullets up to Abby.

"I hear your daughter works at the same diner Jethro attends frequently," Ducky said to the corpse on his table. "She sounds like a wonderful young lady."

Then the doors opened up when Gibbs walked through them.

"What do ya got, Duck?" Gibbs asked.

"Jethro, just in time. Cause of death was GSW. When I opened her up, I discovered she recently had a hysterectomy."

"I remember one time she was late. She mentioned her mom. I also need you to do something for me. I need your skills."

"Well, I've already completely my autopsy, so you want my other skill."

"I need a psych eval on Janie."

"Jethro, what's really going on?"

"I don't know, just get it done."

Gibbs left and headed straight to Abby's lab. He got to his favourite goth lab girl's lab. Janie was down there as well, in Abby's office, sitting on the floor, playing Solitaire with a stack of cards. She had earbuds in, listening to music music so she couldn't hear them.

"Gibbs," Abby greeted him.

"Got anything, Abbs?" He asked as he snuck a peek on Janie.

"The bullets belong to a .45 Smith and Wesson. No trace evidence on the First Sergeant's clothes."

"What about that other thing I asked you?"

"Right. Janie's DNA is going through the system as we speak. It's really thoughtful of you to try and see if she has any family."

"No one should be alone. How is she? Not bothering you, is she?"

"Oh no! She super cool! Love the Shadow doll! Black and all."

BEEP! BEEP!

Gibbs and Abby went to the computer to see what the database found. Abby opened the results, she gasped because they found a match...

Her father.


	4. Family?

Tony, Ziva, McGee and Abby stood in the bullpen discussing the DNA results. They were staring at the pictures of the results of the two people.

"Could it be true?" Tony asked confused. "How is it possible? IS it possible?"

"My machines and science don't lie," Abby stated. "My test is positive."

"How did Janie take it?" McGee asked.

"I haven't told her yet."

"Well, it's gonna be a shock for her," Tony said. "It was for me."

He shivered.

"Oh, would you stop it, Tony?" Ziva groaned. "He is a man, he can have relationships. And besides, he was probably a different man back then."

"Well, yeah, but still. Janie's father is-"

"-YOU!?" Vance exclaimed as he read the DNA report.

Gibbs paced around Director Vance's office.

"I... I can't be a father," Gibbs panicked. "I don't even remember her mother!"

"I want to know what possessed you to run her DNA."

"When she said she had no family, I had... wanted... to make sure."

"Does she know?"

"Haven't told her yet."

"She deserves to know, Gibbs. She just lost her mother."

Gibbs sighed sadly and left the office. He headed downstairs back to the bullpen, the others saw him coming down the stairs so they took the pictures off the plasma. No one dare say anything. They just watched as he sat at his desk, putting his face in his hands and sighing heavily.

"You okay, Boss?" McGee asked.

"How am I gonna tell her?" Gibbs asked, he stood up and started pacing. "How am I gonna tell her she's my daughter?"

"Gibbs," Ziva whispered.

"I mean, I'm too old to be taking care of someone."

"Gibbs," she became firmer but he wasn't listening.

"And besides, she's twenty-three! She should be taking care of herself, not hanging off of Mommy all her life. She has to grow up! Do something with her life. I took responsibility way before her and joined the Marines. She should do the same!"

When he stopped, he realized the looks of terror on his team's faces. He turned around to see Janie standing there, holding Shadow for dear life. Her eyes started watering up.

"How could you say that?" She whimpered. "Mom was my entire world and you say that. Do you even remember her? Do you!?"

Silence.

"You may be my blood dad, but you and I have _nothing_ else in common! I am _nothing_ like you, and I never will be! And I may hate you til the day I die!"

Jane sobbed and ran off down the stairs. No one tried to stop her.

* * *

She ran all the way down to autopsy. She didn't even notice Ducky filling out his reports when she ran through the automatic doors. He jumped a bit when he heard the crying. Ducky saw the weeping girl curled up in the corner, her cries loud enough to wake the dead.

"My dear," Ducky went over. "Whatever is the matter?"

"I found my father."

"Shouldn't that be good news?"

"It's Gibbs."

"...oh..."

"He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you," Ducky got down with her. "You'd know if he hates you."

"He judged me. I hate judgement."

"No one likes to be judged, dear."

"He doesn't want me as a daughter. Why? Why does he hate me?"

Ducky bit his lip but knew he had to tell her.

"I think he's hating himself for having a second chance."

"What do you mean?"

"Long before your mother, Jethro was a very different man. He got married when he was twenty-four years old. He had a daughter and he loved her very much. But when his wife witness a murder, she and their daughter were killed to stay quiet. Kelly, his daughter, was only eight. I think now that you've come into his life, he's afraid to accept you because you're what he wants."

"But Gibbs isn't afraid of anything."

"I think he's afraid of having a good life because it'll be taken away from him."

"What happened after they died?"

"Gibbs... got justice for his family."

"Doctor, I'm not very good at noticing behaviour because of my autism. But Mom was teaching me how to read behaviour and I think that's only half the truth. Did _he_ get the justice?"

Ducky stayed quiet.

"Oh... How could someone feel so much hate? I know whoever hurt my mom is evil, but what happened to him to be like that? It's sad."

"It definitely is, my dear. It definitely is."


	5. I Am All of Me

**As a disclaimer, I do NOT own NCIS or Sonic the Hedgehog or any of their characters/songs. I only own Janie Cooper.**

* * *

It was late and Vance ordered everyone to go home and start fresh in the morning. Janie needed a place to stay and she was too old for Child Services. They decided to draw straws... Tony got the short one. He drove Janie and himself to his apartment, he thought how he was going to take care of her for the night. He was a lady's man, a single man, a Casanova. And now a pretty blonde was staying at his apartment and he couldn't pull any of his moves on her. First off, she was Gibbs' daughter. Second, she was half his age (but that never stopped him before). Third, she was Gibbs' daughter! They finally got to his apartment, Tony noticed she was impressed.

"Wow," she said in awe. "You live here?"

"I pay the rent here," Tony joked. He was takin his coat off.

"Wow," she ran over to Tony's old movies and music collection. "You have Sinatra on vinyl? Look at all these old movies! Bond, Psycho, It's a Wonderful Life. That's my mom's... favourite..."

Tony looked over when he heard the lull in her voice. He looked over and saw Janie's head down, her fingers lightly caressing the DVDs.

"Hey, hey," he said walking over to her. "This is gonna be a good night. Tell ya what? I'm gonna go change outta this suit and we'll make supper. You must be starving, I know I am."

"Okay," She suddenly embraced Tony in a hug. "Thank you for letting me stay here tonight."

"No sweat."

Tony left for his room. Janie used this time to explore the apartment, it was super nice. She walked in the kitchen, everything was top-of-the-line. She dreamed of having a kitchen like this one. She left the kitchen to go to the thing that caught her eye the moment she walked in: the baby grand piano. She sat on the seat, put Shadow on the top and passed her fingers gently over the ivories. She then started playing it, soon adding words.

 _Can you see all of me?_

 _Walk into my mystery_

 _Step inside and hold on for dear life_

 _Do you remember me?_

 _Capture you or set you free_

 _I am all of, I am all of me..._

"I didn't know you could play," Janie gasped and turned to see Tony, changed and standing a few feet away. "That was beautiful. Did you write that yourself?"

"Oh no. It's from the Shadow the Hedgehog video game, the end credits when they play the chorus of the piano version of the song 'I Am... All of Me'."

"Play it once more. I didn't get to hear the whole thing from my room."

She smiled and started playing it again. Tony, being Italian, knew music as well as his movies. He listen closely to how she sung, she put so much passion in the music. When she finished, she turned around to face Tony.

"Is that your major?" He asked.

"I love music. It's my only friend. It doesn't judge or talk back. It's always there for me when I need it."

"Play anything else?"

"Piano and guitar mostly. Had to play a baritone sax in high school."

"You'll have to give the team a concert one day. A voice like that, you could be the new Jewel."

"I get that a lot," her spirits started lifting. _"You were meant for me-"_

 _"-and I was meant for you,"_ Tony sang along with her. They both laughed. "C'mon. Let's get dinner."

* * *

Gibbs laid on his couch-bed thinking about Janie. How could he not remember her mother? Sure, he _was_ soft on the eyes, but does _every_ guy remember _every_ woman he slept with? No. Maybe he'd remember by counting back the months from her birthday.

 _"Let's see,"_ he said in his head. _"She was born October 1993, so nine months before that would be... about February. February, February... UGH!"_

Giving up for the night, he slammed his face in the couch and went to sleep.

 _It was a cold February night when a young woman walked into a Marine's bar and sat at one of the stools._

 _"Gimme a rum and coke," she told the bartender._

 _"Yes, Ma'am."_

 _As she waited for her drink, she noticed a guy looking at her, sitting a few bar seats away from her. He was a few years older than she was, wearing a dark trench coat and loose jeans. But what really caught her were his icy blue eyes._

 _"What? Am I wearing something of yours?" She asked._

 _"No," the stranger chuckled. "Just didn't expect someone like you to order what you did."_

 _"And what should I have ordered?" Then the bartender handed her her drink, she took it and sat beside the man._

 _"A tequila shot or something."_

 _"Nope. Not me. I'm a simple girl... a simple Marine girl who just caught her long-term boyfriend in bed with someone else."_

 _The stranger inhaled sharply._

 _"That's gotta hurt."_

 _"Yeah, tell me about it!" She took a swig of her drink. "So why you here?"_

 _"After work drink."_

 _"Ran out of bourbon at home?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _They both started laughing. They didn't know if it was the booze or the good company._

 _"Wanna get out of here?"_

 _"Can I get your name first?"_

 _"Only if I can get yours. And make it something good I can scream out."_

 _He laughed._

 _"Gibbs."_

 _"A last name? Really? Your fist name that horrible?"_

 _"Fine... Leroy Jethro."_

 _"I like Jethro."_

 _"Alright, I gave you my name, now what's yours?"_

 _"Chloe Cooper."_


	6. Gibbs and Shadow

The next day, Tony woke up on his couch because he let Janie have his bed. He stretched his arms and legs, feeling a bit cramped from the lack of space the couch provided. He decided to make both of them breakfast; he found eggs, toast, bacon and clementines. He started his stove and prepared the meal. As the food started to smell good, Tony heard Janie waking up. A few minutes after getting out of bed, Janie found Tony cooking breakfast.

"Good morning," Tony greeted her.

"Good morning," she yawned.

"How did you sleep?"

"Alright," she sat down at the island. "What are you cooking?"

"French toast with bacon and clementines."

"I love clementines."

"Good thing I bought them when they were on sale."

The food finally was ready so Tony plated two dishes. He was about to dig into his food, egg on fork, when he looked up and saw Janie with her eyes closed and hands folded together. He stopped mid-bite, his mouth wide open. When she finished, she grabbed her fork to eat then she saw Tony in his ridiculous state.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"...Waiting for you... to finish praying... are you done...?"

"Yes, I am." Tony then ate his forkful, she giggled. "You didn't have to wait for me."

"I guess it's a respect thing," he shrugged his shoulders. "I still can't believe you're Gibbs' kid."

"Yeah... doesn't mean he loves me," Janie started playing with her eggs. "He still loves Kelly and I'm not her."

"Who told you about her?"

"Dr. Ducky." He huffed a laugh at the name.

"Gibbs is a complex guy. He's a man of very few words, a functional mute. It's been over ten years that I've worked for him and the man still terrifies me. Janie, one thing Gibbs hates just as much as lawyers is surprises, and you were a big one to him. He just... needs time."

"He hasn't gotten past their deaths, I can tell."

"How?"

"His eyes."

"Those icy blues? The eyes that can cut steel with one glare? That can break the baddest of hard-bitten criminals?"

"When we found out we were related, I could see the sadness in them. Then Dr. Ducky told me about his first family. Quiet, alone, and sad. I feel sorry for Gibbs and I'm really sorry about the things I said. I just don't know how to tell him I am."

Then Tony's head wheels started spinning.

* * *

"Gibbs has high-functioning autism," Tony declared to McGee as he leaned over his desk. "It explains everything!"

"What are you talking about, Tony?" McGee dared to ask about one of Tony's Gibbs theories.

"Think about it: he likes to be alone, he enjoys a few things as hobbies, it doesn't take much to please his interests, functional mute."

"That is Gibbs' personality," Ziva stated, who was at her desk. "It does not mean he is autistic."

"Spectrum, people," Tony raised his finger in objection. "Gibbs must be high-functioning like Janie. People with autism enjoy few activities, likes to be alone most of the time, and rather use their hands than their mouths."

"How do you know all this?"

"Contrary to popular belief, I enjoy reading educational content."

"How about reading me in on the case, DiNozzo?" On cue, Gibbs came in.

"Right, Boss."

"Boss, I went over Janie's mom's records again and I found a recent police report," McGee stated.

"About what?" Gibbs asked as McGee put it on the plasma.

"Apparently, Chloe Copper witnessed a murder and went to the police. She was suppose to get protection the day of her murder."

"Why protection?"

"She saw the murder of a civilian being killed by a Colombian Cartel member. Good reason to want her dead."

"Why didn't Janie tell us about this?" Ziva wondered.

"I'd like to know, too," Gibbs started heading towards the elevator, peeved off. He reached the elevator to find Ducky in it.

"Jethro, I was just about to come see you," Ducky stated. Gibbs closed the elevator doors, he wasn't happy.

"Did I mention they lack empathy?" Tony added to the team.

As the elevator started to go down, Ducky shut the elevator off, entering Gibbs' office.

"I have Janie's psych eval," Ducky told Gibbs.

"So what did she tell you?"

"Her behaviour told me that if you go to her with your state of anger, she will shut down. It's her way of protecting herself."

"Duck, is she gonna be any help to the investigation?"

"In her own way, but I think you need to mend the relationship between you two. Janie's personality makes her avoids confrontation as much as possible. She'd rather spend time alone than be in a crowded room. She was drawn to you because you both have parallel personalities. She needs you to accept her because she has an extreme fear of rejection."

Ducky turned the elevator back on, it started going down again. It dinged on Abby's lab floor, since Janie was staying down there with her.

"Good luck, Jethro." Gibbs got off and heard Abby asking Janie about her Shadow doll.

Janie was down in Abby's lab, she did sudoku and listened to her music. She still had Shadow with her. They both sat at Abby's desk. Abby's music was turned down because Janie was sensitive to loud noise.

"Abby, what do you think of Gibbs?" Janie asked.

"He's the best," Abby replied happily. "But I'm probably bias."

"Do you think Gibbs will ever accept me?"

"Of course he will," Abby reached her hand to Janie; she accepted. "When you get to know him, he can be as warm as a teddy bear."

Janie looked at Shadow and smirked a bit.

"You know, after hearing Gibbs' story, he and Shadow are a lot alike."

"What do you mean?" Janie didn't hear the elevator door ping open, Gibbs walked off and stepped behind the lab door when he heard his name.

"They both can be grumpy at times, but deep down they have emotional scars and they care for others. Shadow watched his best friend get shot right in front of him. He wanted revenge but... Shadow saved the planet he hated because his friend loved it."

Gibbs kept his head down as he listened more.

"We all have wounds and we all have scars. But scars remind us where we've been, they don't have to dictate where we're going. Shadow was scarred by Maria's death, and I'm sure Gibbs is more scarred on the inside than he is on the outside. There's a reason why this is all happening right now. I'm not the daughter he wants, but I'm the daughter he's got. I believe in second chances."

Gibbs waited a bit before entering the lab.

"Gibbs," Abby prompted herself up when she saw her boss come in, Janie turned around to face him.

"We know why your mom was killed."

"Really? Why?"

"She witnessed a Cartel shooting. Did you know, Janie?"

Janie's expression was a deer in the headlights.

"You're not in trouble, Janie," Abby reassured her. "Did your mom tell you about the shooting?"

"She didn't say anything about the Cartel," Janie replied.

"C'mon," Gibbs said as he headed back to the elevator. Janie followed, she waved good-bye to Abby. The elevator doors closed, both Gibbs inside, then the older one stopped the elevator once more.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Janie asked.

"Why would you think that?" Gibbs asked with no concern, still staring at the elevator doors.

"Because I didn't tell you about the shooting and I was suppose to."

"Not your fault. Your mom just wanted to protect you. Wish you had though."

"I don't think of those things. I don't think like normal people. I'm not normal."

"Ah, what's normal anymore?" Gibbs half-smiled and turned the elevator back on.

"I'm sorry I said those things to you. I don't hate you."

"I know, kiddo."

The doors opened and they walked back into the bullpen.

"Where we at?"


	7. No Christians without Jews

**I want to give all my followers and viewers all the love I can... and cookies if I could! My story is in a group, over 20 people following my story...? I am so thankful and I continue to thank you for your support! I am so glad I can write a story people can enjoy!**

* * *

"Did I mention they lack empathy?" Tony said to McGee and Ziva as they saw Gibbs walk angrily into the elevator with Ducky. "But enough of you two gossiping. McGoo: get all the details on that Cartel group. I will call the detective that worked on the shooting case to email us the file.

"And what am I going to be doing, Mr. Bossy?" Ziva asked.

"You will take Janie back to her house to get her a change of clothes. I'm sure she doesn't want to wear that same dress twice in two days," Tony dialled Metro Police but got put on hold, he kept the phone close to his ear for when they got him off hold.

"Where do you think she's gonna stay if the Cartel are after her?" McGee asked as he typed away at his keyboard.

"Boss'll want to keep an eye on her a) because she's the sole survivor of the First Sergeant's death and b) she's his daughter. She's probably safest on the base."

"What do you think of her?"

"She's different?"

"Different how?" Ziva inquired.

"Dunno. The autism, the Christian belief... through all that, I can see Gibbs in her."

"She very much resembles her mother, though."

"Research does show if you live with someone for a long time, you start to look like them," McGee informed them.

"Thanks for the tidbit, McNerd," Tony joked. "I mean small stuff. The stance, the stare, the eyes. Who ever thought Gibbs would have a Gibblet?"

 _Bing!_

They heard the elevator open, Gibbs and Janie came out.

"Where we at?" Gibbs asked his team.

"I'm pulling up any and all details about this Cartel group: members, M.O., everything," McGee stated.

"I'm on hold with Metro Police to have them email the file over to us," Tony added.

"I was thinking of taking Janie home to get a change of clothes," Ziva told Gibbs. Tony frowned when he heard Ziva take his idea. "I'm sure you want to get out of your old outfit."

"I would like to," Janie replied.

"Too risky," Gibbs stated as he sat at his desk. "Cartel's probably waiting for you."

"They might not even be looking for me. I was really quiet when I was hiding."

"Can't take that risk."

"Ugh! I _must_ be your daughter... so stubborn." Janie crossed her arms.

"I'm not having you be a target for a drug lord."

"But if I go back to the scene, I might remember something about that day."

"Gibbs, I will be with her the entire time," Ziva assured him. Gibbs thought for a second then picked up his desk phone.

"I'm having a unit meet you at the house," Gibbs said as he dialled. "There and back only. And keep your eye on her."

"You have my word."

The two ladies left the building and headed downstairs and into one of the government-isssued Chargers. It was silent at first, but soon the dead air was cut.

"So, you're Israeli?" Janie asked.

"Yes, I am," Ziva bluntly replied.

"My mom named me Janie because it means 'gift from God' in Israeli. I guess I was a gift to her. What about you?"

"My father told me my name means 'splendid', though I do not see how I am splendid."

"What do you mean?"

"In Israel, every person, man or woman, must join the Israeli Army. After being discharged, I joined Mossad. I have been surrounded by death my entire life, professional and personal."

"It must be lonely being strong all the time. May I ask about your family?"

"My family is dead because of hate and war," Ziva said without expression, Janie gasped so Ziva reassured her. "I am okay with it now. Really."

"Are you sure?" Ziva was quiet. "C'mon, one faith to another. Talk to me, it makes me feel better and it might you."

"It is hard to forgive someone who takes your family away by force. Those days I question my God and wonder where He was. Why didn't He stop those bullets? Why didn't He slow the bleed? Why?"

"Everything happens for a reason, Ziva, and God gave man free will. As much as I hate the people who killed my mom, I have to forgive them. But I have to remember the forgiveness isn't for them, it's for me. By forgiving them, I can free myself from the guilt and pain. They think they have me but they don't. I have to remember I'll see my mom again in Heaven. And you will too one day. I think you are splendid, Ziva, because of your culture. An Israeli woman living in the Western world. And your necklace tells me you still have faith in Jehovah."

"You really know about Judaism, don't you?" Ziva smiled.

"I ready my Bible a lot. My faith comes first, then family. And I have a feeling I found more family than just Gibbs."

"You have," Ziva smiled.

A little while after, Ziva and Janie made it back to her house. They saw two police cars waiting for them, they knew Gibbs called the extra one. They got out, Ziva waved her badge and the two ladies walked inside the house. Ziva let Janie go first, to keep an eye on her likes Gibbs told her to. Janie froze when she saw the dried blood on the floor, she started shaking. Ziva wrapped her arm around her to move her to the side.

"It washes out," Ziva reassured her. "I promise."

Ziva guided Janie around the blood and to her room. Ziva saw a few self-drawn Shadow the Hedgehog at works hanging on the wall, along with several music awards. Janie grabbed a small suitcase from her closet and started packing her clothes and essentials. As she packed, Ziva observed the dresser where she found a photo booth four-photo slip.

"Who's this?" Ziva asked picking it up to see better.

"It's my mom and my unknown dad at the time," Janie replied.

"She's very beautiful. How old was she here?"

"Thirty years old. I guess it got the good end of the straw in the beauty department. I mean, when I first meant Gibbs, and this was _way_ before I found out we were related, I thought he was the hottest guy over fifty."

"Any now?"

"...still the hottest guy over fifty."

The girls laughed. Janie took the picture and looked at it again. The pictures were:

1\. Both of them smiling

2\. Chloe kissing Gibbs' cheek

3\. Chloe sticking her tongue out at Gibbs, Gibbs smirking

4\. Kissing each other sweetly

"This was my mom's fondest memory of him," Janie said. "She said she had to literally drag him in."

"That sounds like Gibbs," Ziva said.

Janie laughed and packed the picture in her purse.


	8. It's Not Your Fault

**I'd like to say... I know people with autism don't lack empathy and they do have trouble displaying their emotions. When Tony said "they lack empathy", he was referring to Gibbs showing little emotion. It was a joke and I know people with autism can't understand sarcasm sometimes. So I hope everyone understands and enjoys reading.**

* * *

Gibbs watched as he saw Ziva and Janie leave the building. He looked down at the Shadow doll that Janie gave him to hold. He studied the doll: the black and red fabric, the discontent face.

"You know, Boss," Tony said. "I can see a resemblance between you and Shadow."

Gibbs gave his signature stare at Tony, Tony slumped in his chair. Gibbs went back to Shadow. He thought about what Janie said about him. He thought about Chloe and how his memory of her was coming back in pieces.

 _~Flashback starts~_

 _Chloe woke up in Gibbs' bed, the morning after their first 'encounter'. She knew he didn't leave like how most one-nighters worked, it WAS his house after all. She then smelled coffee, it was coming from downstairs. She put on her underwear and Gibbs' shirt that he was wearing the night before. She wrapped her passion-made bedhead in a hair elastic she kept around her wrist as she headed downstairs. She found Gibbs in the kitchen pouring himself a mug of coffee._

 _"Morning," she said in a groggy voice. He turned around._

 _"You slept late," Gibbs informed her._

 _"Wha? It's... 10am. That's not late."_

 _"Is for a Marine."_

 _"Shouldn't you be at work or something?"_

 _"Boss let me have the day off. Told him I had my hands full," he winked at the last statement and poured Chloe a mug of coffee._

 _"I thought Marines could handle anything," Chloe said as she took the coffee._

 _"You're the exception."_

 _"I always am," they chuckled. "But I really need to say... wow!"_

 _"Yeah, that's what they tell me."_

 _"Jerk. Jethro the Jerk... I like that name."_

 _"'Jethro the Jerk'?"_

 _"No. Just 'Jethro'. I may call my kid that, if I ever have a kid."_

 _"What if you have a girl?"_

 _"Then her middle name will have your name."_

 _~Flashback ends~_

He needed to talk to someone, someone he could look up to. With Shadow still in his hand, Gibbs left for the elevator and pressed the button for the basement. The elevator stopped at autopsy, Gibbs walked in to see Ducky putting a body in the cooler.

"Ah, Jethro," Ducky said. "Do what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Janie," Gibbs simply said.

"Has something happened to her?" Ducky asked concerned when he saw the doll.

"No."

"What troubles you?"

"What do you know about autism?"

"You didn't give it to her, Jethro. A neurodevelopmental disorder like autism can be affected by many things: genes, the environment, anything. I understand Janie's mother was thirty when she had her, and if both parents are over the age of thirty, the chances of their child getting autism raises."

"Why didn't Chloe tell me?"

"As I remember, you met Diane several months after the original conception in February. Maybe she was going to tell you? Or was she too perfect for you, perhaps?"

"Why didn't I choose Chloe?"

"I cannot answer those questions for you, Jethro. But you have a second chance at having a child. You may not have watched her grow up, but you have the chance to watch her live her life."

Gibbs looked down at the Shadow doll in his calloused hands. Was Shadow saving the planet like Gibbs' daughter? Was it really a second chance at the life he wanted? Gibbs sniffed back a silent tear thinking about it.

 _~Flashback start~_

 _::Beginning of April::_

 _A young Gibbs and Chloe were walking in a shopping mall, holding hands. It was the first time Gibbs felt content in a long time._

 _"Oh, Jethro, look!" Chloe said pulling his hand like a child. "A photo booth! Let's do it!"_

 _She pulled a reluctant Gibbs inside the booth and closed the curtain._

 _"I'm not really a photo booth kinda guy," Gibbs told her._

 _"Oh, live a little," she said putting the change in. "Okay, so something classic first."_

 _Gibbs rolled his eyes, the first photo was a basic of them smiling together. She next kissed his cheek, he rolled his eyes. Seeing him roll his eyes, she stuck her tongue out which made him smirk. That was the third photo. For the final one, Gibbs took Chloe in for a deep, passionate and cute kiss._

 _Once the photography was over, two sets of the slips were printed off. Chloe laughed at the poses._

 _"I'll remember this always," Chloe said putting the photos in her purse._

 _Gibbs softly smiled as he stuck his slip in his wallet. The two walked off, but Chloe felt off despite the fun. She was nausous all the time and was waking up throughout the night..._

 _~Flashback ends~_

 _ **RING!**_

Gibbs phone went off, so he answered.

"Yeah, Gibbs," he kept his emotions hidden to the caller.

"Gibbs, I am sorry."

"What do you mean?"

"She's been taken."


	9. Taken

**Chapters are shorter, yes. But it keeps everyone in suspense ~evil smile~. Happy March!**

Janie put the photo slip in her purse.

"If it's okay, I wanna change out of my old dress," Janie said.

"That's alright," Ziva said.

She stepped out of the room while Janie changed. When she stepped out of her room, she was wearing bootcut, dark blue jeans and a grey blouse with boot cut sleeves.

"Feel better now?" Ziva asked.

"Much."

"Let's get back before Gibbs go on that we took too long."

Janie took her suitcase and purse and the two started to leave. As they were leaving, they had to pass the bloodstain. Janie looked at it again and mumbled something to herself.

"What did you say?" Ziva asked.

"The shooter... after he shot Mom, he said, 'that's what you get for messing with Julio Cruz'."

As she said that, one of the officers came up to her.

"Miss," the officer said, "the girl has to come with us. We received orders."

"My boss would have told me if you were taking her," Ziva informed him.

"Your boss wasn't told."

"Excuse me? ...AAAH!"

Janie watched in shock as she saw Ziva being hit in the back with a pistol whip. The Israeli woman fell to the floor from the sneak attack. Janie felt herself being grabbed and dragged by another officer. Janie tried to fight, but the man was much bigger than her. He swung her over his shoulder, she tried to kick and scream, but no one came. As she was being carried out, she dropped her purse and saw the good cops dead; they were shot in the head. A black van pulled up, the back doors opened and the big cop threw Janie in. Before the doors closed, she saw Ziva running after her. But the doors closed by the time Ziva got there and she felt the van drive away. She then felt a sack go over her head and a gun being pointed at her head.

"Try anything funny, and you'll end up like your mummy," the voice said.

The voice was mean; Janie kept quiet.

 _"No weakness, no fear,"_ she said to herself. _"Conceal, don't feel."_

* * *

Ziva had managed to disarm and subdue the two phoney cops. She made the call she didn't want to make.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

"Gibbs, I am sorry."

"What do you mean?"

"She's been taken."

" **WHAT?!** "

Gibbs, Tony and McGee drove over there right away. They got there with Ziva holding the back of her neck. The two bad guys were cuffed and on their stomachs.

"What the hell happened?!" Gibbs ordered.

"Filthy cops," Ziva growled.

"Dirty cops," Tony said correcting her.

Gibbs got down to one of the criminals, grabbed his hair to yank him up and harshly said, "where is she?"

"With her bitch mother," the criminal laughed.

Gibbs threw his head back to the ground.

"Get these clowns back to NCIS," Gibbs ordered his team. He stormed out of the house, Tony cautiously followed. Gibbs held his head in defeat. How could he lose his second chance?

"This isn't your fault," Tony spoke.

"Don't patronize me, DiNozzo!" He growled.

"I'm not, I'm being a friend."

"If anything happens to her-"

"Nothing will happen to her. Know how I know that?" Tony grabbed Gibbs' face. "Because she's _your_ daughter. Underneath her autism, she's a fighter. She's stronger than you think. He won't break her."

"Save her," Gibbs got tears in his eyes. "Save my daughter."

* * *

Back at NCIS, the two bad guys were in separate interrogation rooms. The team was in the bullpen gathering information on their two suspects and this Julio Cruz.

"Julio Cruz," McGee said pulling up everything they had on him. "Local business man."

"Obviously a cover for his drug operation," Ziva stated as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"The two guys Mossad took out here are Rick Morales and Frank Lopez," Tony added. "Fake cops. They really work as the muscle for Julio Cruz."

"Any idea where he might have Janie?" Gibbs asked.

"He has a lot of warehouses," McGee said. "Twenty to be exact."

"Ah, too many to search."

"I agree," Vance appeared in the bullpen. "Julio Cruz is wanted by a lot of agencies, not just us. We need to know exactly where he is or he'll go underground again."

"Uh, Director?" McGee said. "There's a live video feed trying to come in MTAC."

Gibbs, Vance and the rest of the team went up to MTAC. Once arranged in front of the large screen, Vance nodded to let the fee through. What they saw made them gasp. The person they saw was tied to an old, wooden chair. They had a small gash on the left side their head, dried blood caked on their face from the wound.

It was Janie.


	10. Evil in Their Eyes

**Caution: this next scene might get pretty graphic. Reader's discretion is advised.**

* * *

Janie woke up in pain. She tried to stretch her limbs but noticed they were tied to an old, wooden chair. She felt something semi-wet on the left side of her face, it was her blood. The last thing she remembered, she was in the van driving away from her home. Then she felt a sudden pain then it going all black. When her vision got cleared, she saw a video recorder, a TV and a bunch of wires all around it. The TV was on and she saw someone she least expect.

"Gibbs!" she yelled at that screen.

"Janie!" He yelled back. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, we can," a new voice came in; a Latino came in view of the camera on Janie's end. "Agent Gibbs, I presume."

"You must be Julio Cruz."

"I am," he turned to Janie. "Do you know why you're here, Miss Cooper?"

"You need a new housekeeper?" She sarcastically said. "I don't do windows."

"Very funny," Cruz wasn't amused. "You're here because your family can't keep their business to themselves."

"You're evil, my mother was stopping you."

"And you saw your mother killed, or which I should have killed you as soon as possible. But once I found out you were the daughter of an NCIS agent, the same agent who's working your Mommy Dearest's case, I thought we could have... fun."

"You lay one finger on her-!" Gibbs growled.

"And what are you going to do, Agent Gibbs? By the time I'm done with her, I'll be long gone," he started tracing Janie's face. "A beauty she is, I bet she-AAAHH!"

While stroking her face, Janie managed to bite his thumb, and hard. Cruz screamed in agony as she bit harder and harder. The team could see Janie's demeanour change, but her eyes changed the most. They went from the soft, steel blue to a dark, cold-blooded blue. Gibbs knew this look: he had the exact same look when he killed Pedro Hernandez. Despite Cruz's efforts to yank away from her, her grip was strong and unyielding. Finally, he punched Janie in the face which made her let go. A good chunk of Cruz's thumb was mauled up. Janie looked up at him with determined eyes, her mouth was dripping blood; her white teeth growling, stained crimson red.

"I may be a beautiful blonde, but that does NOT mean I'm weak. Like my parents, I have seen death and have walked through the darkness. I know evil, I am a Christian, I can feel it. And it seeps out of every one of your pores. No matter what you do to me, I won't break to the likes of you. And when Gibbs gets his hands on you... you're going to beg for death," she turned to the camera. "Semper fi, Jethro."

Cruz, so peeved by Janie's act of rebellion, shut the camera off. Everyone stayed quiet in shock.

When the camera shut off, Cruz turned to Janie, yanked on her hair and snarled, "I _was_ going to go easy on you, but after that little stunt, I'm going to finish you rough and slow."

* * *

Down in Abby's lab, Abby and McGee were going over the live feed that MTAC had recorded. Gibbs was in the corner holding the photo slip of him and Chloe.

 _"She kept it after all these years,"_ Gibbs thought to himself. _"Did she... really love_ _me?"_

Abby stopped typing, tapped McGee's shoulder to keep going and went over to Gibbs.

"Hey," she said softly to Gibbs. "She's gonna be okay."

"I don't need blind optimism ignited now, Abbs," he told her.

"It's not blind optimism, it's hope. I can feel... connections between people. And there is a HUGE one between you and Janie. And if you feel hopeless and give up on her, Janie will give up on herself. She needs you, we all do."

"I'm not enough for her," he sombrely replied. "She needs someone more than me."

"She loves you, Gibbs."

"No she doesn't."

"She does! She told me!"

"Why hasn't she called me 'dad' yet?"

"Maybe she's waiting for the right time. She also told me a secret about you, but I'm not telling because I'm her friend and not until you accept she truly loves you."

They had a moment of silence.

"Boss," McGee said after doing his computer work. "We've managed to isolate the background noise."

They played the noise, it was a loud rumble.

"What is that?" Gibbs asked.

"It sounds like an engine," Abby noted. "And it's getting louder."

Then Abby and McGee clued in at the same time.

"Airplane!" The two nerds exclaimed.

"Which warehouse is close to the airport?" Gibbs asked.

"Ugh... there are two," McGee hesitated to say.

 _ **Ring!**_

Abby's cell started ringing.

"Hello?" She answered. "Yes, I'll put you on speakerphone."

"Gibbs," it was Director Vance. "Where we at?"

"There are two possible places where Cruz could be keeping Janie," Gibbs told him. "One of those goons in interrogation might have the answer."

"Gibbs, I'm not gonna let you go in there and destroy our only two suspects who might know where Julio Cruz is."

"You think I'm gonna go rogue?"

"I think when your heartstrings get pulled, your logic stays out of interrogation."

"What do you suggest we do, Director?"

* * *

Gibbs and Ziva walked in interrogation where Frank Lopez was waiting.

"Finally," Lopez complained. "I thought you guys forgot about me."

"Nope," Gibbs said calmly as he sat down in the other chair. Ziva went to the dark corner of the room.

"How you feeling, princess?" Lopez mocked Ziva. "Did I hit you too hard?"

"I'd be careful if I were you."

"What's she gonna do?" He pretended to be worried.

Gibbs looked up at Ziva and nodded his head. Ziva walked over to Lopez and slammed her hands on his ears, making him scream and hold his head down in pain.

"What the hell?!" He yelled.

"That was for hitting me," she calmly said. Then she wrapped her arm around his throat and put him in a chokehold. "This is for taking Janie."

Lopez struggled but he had no prevail against Ziva David. Lopez banged the table, begging her to stop. Gibbs, meanwhile, was just staring at his anguish. He seemed calm, almost enjoying the pain Lopez was going through.

"Tell us where the girl is and she'll let you breathe," Gibbs told him.

"Like he deserves it," Ziva growled.

"Okay! Okay!" Lopez finally yelled. "I'll tell you!"

Ziva let him go by throwing his head to the table, she walked back into a corner and crossed her arms. Lopez gasped for breath, then he told them what they needed: the address.


	11. Daddy

**So spoiler: Janie is going to ComiCon with McGee but I would like some feedback on what outfit she should wear. I was think either Elsa or a Sailor Moon character or one of my own characters called "The Water Princess". Reviews are always loved!**

* * *

After the camera turned off and Cruz made his threat to Janie, he left her alone. Now alone and afraid, Janie remembered when the Apostle Paul was in prison, he praised God for being so wonderful and God broke down the cell walls. She knew most likely the building wouldn't fall down, but she knew as long as she had faith, she'd be okay. After several minutes of praying, Cruz and two armed men came back in the room. She noticed Cruz's hand was bandaged up.

"Untie her," Cruz ordered his men. "And be careful. She's a feisty one."

As Cruz steadied his gun on Janie's head, his men untied Janie from her chair. Knowing not to fight now, Janie complied.

"Tie up her wrists," Cruz ordered again.

When Janie was freed from her chair restraints, one guard tied her wrists up with duct tape. Then the guard grabbed her arm and pulled her to start walking. They ended up in a bigger room with nothing but an old mattress laying on the dirty floor. Janie got a rotting knot inside her stomach.

"Leave us," Cruz ordered his guards, so they left, closing the door behind them. "Get on."

"How romantic," she huffed.

"I've asked politely, even after your little stunt before. Now go!"

Janie just glared at him, not budging from her spot. So she punched her in the eye which made her fall on the mattress. When Janie got her bearings after being punched, she realized Cruz had gotten on her, pinning her down. She tried to struggle and kick but he was too strong.

"The less you fight, the less it'll hurt," he warned her.

She turned her head and whimpered quietly as he roughly caressed her body. He started to unbutton her blouse when they heard gunshots.

"Gibbs!" She gasped.

Growling, Cruz pulled himself off her. He pulled a knife from his back pocket and pulled Janie to her knees. He held her to his body, using her as a shield, and held his knife to her throat. They waited until someone came in.

* * *

NCIS drove to the warehouse address that Lopez had 'kindly' given them. Ziva prepped herself on a nearby building to snipe out the front door guards. The boys of the team waited in the Charger. When the time was right, Ziva sniped out the two front guards.

"Ziva, stay on point in case more come out," Gibbs ordered her.

The men moved in, keeping a stealth profile. Throughout the building, they found a few guards, of which they shot dead. Finally, at the end of a long, metal hall, they came upon a door. They opened it to find Janie, a knife to her throat being held by Julio Cruz. Seeing his daughter kneeling on an old mattress with her blouse partly opened made Gibbs **REALLY** want to beat Cruz up to a bloody pulp. Janie kept calm, despite a knife to her throat. He, along with the other agents, kept their guns trained on the criminal. Gibbs and Cruz just stared at each other, like a battle of wills.

"Let her go," Tony barked at Cruz.

"Maybe for a price," Cruz said trying to negotiate. "My freedom for hers."

"As if."

"Agent Gibbs... don't you want your precious daughter back?"

"You're getting out of here one of two ways," Gibbs told him.

"Better say goodbye to her then."

 ** _BANG!_**

With one shot, Gibbs shot Cruz right in the forehead. Janie gasped loudly, in complete shock after the shot was taken. She looked down at Cruz's fresh corpse, the fresh bullet would bleeding out. She shook in fear, then looked back at Gibbs.

"Daddy," she sobbed.

Gibbs went over, pulled out his knife and cut her wrists free. She got off the mattress as fast as she could and jumped into Gibbs' arms. They embraced in a deep hug. She sobbed loudly, repeating 'daddy' over and over again.

"Let's get you out of here," he softly said to her as he walked her out.

* * *

Janie sat on the back of the gurney, having a paramedic checking her injuries out. Gibbs went over to see how she was doing.

"How is she?" He asked.

"She's gonna need some stitches for this head wound, and a CT scan to make sure she doesn't have any swelling," the paramedic replied.

"I'm coming with you."

"Are you related?"

Gibbs looked at Janie, smiled and replied, "she's my daughter."

She smiled back at him. The paramedic left to call it in.

"I shouldn't have let you go back," Gibbs told her.

"You didn't know this was going to happen," she replied.

"I should have! You're... you're my daughter... my little girl."

"I'm okay now, but I won't lie that this is not going to effect me for a while. But I just wanna know one thing: what happened between you and Mom?"

"I... I was a coward. I lost Shannon and Kelly just over a year ago and I thought your mom and I were going to be a one-time thing. But she stayed. Chloe was perfect, so was Shannon. I think I was afraid of losing her again. So I took second-best."

"Would you have stayed if you knew she was pregnant?"

"I can't speak for the Gibbs back then, but I'd like to think I would have. To see you grow up, lose teeth, get grades, help with homework."

"That gives me hope for a better future."

"Time to go," the paramedic came back.

The two Gibbs got in the ambulance and drove to the hospital.

"So... mind if Shadow stays at NCIS for a while?" Gibbs asked Janie. "Think he likes my desk."

"I think he likes you," Janie replied. "Both have the same cute half-smile."

Gibbs half-smiled.


	12. Help Me Sleep

**Time for some fun chapters now. They may be shorter than before but they're different parts that deserve their own chapters. Enjoy my lovelies!**

* * *

 ** _TWO WEEKS LATER_**

Janie had finally recovered from her physical injuries. During recovery, she was able to absorb everything that had happened ever since her mom's death. Since she suffered several injuries, she needed a place to stay so someone could monitor her health. Finally coming out of the fire, Gibbs helped move Janie to his home. But it was going to be a slow transition.

Janie walked into Gibbs' extremely humble abode, she noticed the style hadn't changed since the 90s. Having autism, she focused on studying human behaviour as a personal goal. From what she gathered, he didn't update the cosmetics of the house probably because his heart was still on Shannon and Kelly's deaths, which happened in the early 90s. Janie huffed a laugh at the house.

"If Mom were here, she'd make this house sellable," Janie said. "Sorry, but Mom always kept house. She loved interior design: painting, decorating."

"She always was different," Gibbs added. "I do remember that about her."

"Different how?"

"Special. Her appearance, her attitude, everything. I guess I get one little piece of her back." Janie smiled, then changed the subject.

"Is my new room upstairs?"

"First door on the right."

Janie went upstairs, carrying a suitcase of clothes. Gibbs stayed downstairs, he pulled out the four-photo slip from his inside blazer pocket. He stared at Chloe's young face, thinking about the fact that she was pregnant with Janie when the photos were taken. He thought they were careful, but not everything is foolproof.

"Chloe," he said to the photo. "I promise to love and take care of our daughter. For you."

He kissed the photo and slipped it back in his inside blazer pocket. He climbed up the stairs and walked in Janie's room. He found Janie sitting on the bed, looking at a piece of paper.

"Oh!" She folded the paper up and hid it from Gibbs.

"Not illegal is it?" He asked smiling.

"N-no."

"Can I see?" He asked, she shrugged. "Pleeease?"

Janie hummed hesitantly at Gibbs' 'please', knowing he probably never used the word that often. Debating on whether to show him the paper or not, she made her decision.

"You broke me!" She gave the paper to him.

 _List of Things I Want to do with Dad:_

 _1\. Father/Daughter Dance_

 _2\. Play Music for Him and His Team_

 _3\. Cook a Homemade Dinner_

 _4a. Him Clean Shotgun when I bring Home a Boy_

 _4b. Approve of My True Love_

 _5\. Walk Me Down the Aisle_

 _6\. Apply to College_

 _7\. Cuddle on Couch and have Hot Chocolate_

 _8\. Make Something in His Basement_

 _9\. Learn How to Fight like a Marine_

 _10\. Let Me Sleep with Him when I have Nightmares_

"Quite the interesting list," Gibbs commented.

"Might want to add more later," Janie added.

"'Clean Shoutgun'?"

"Like the country song 'Cleanin' this Gun'. I bring a boy home for you to meet, and you sitting in your chair with the gun... I thought every parent worried about their daughter when they went on their first date."

"Oh, we do. But I'll be cleaning my dad's Winchester instead," Janie smiled when he said that, so she changed 4a. After changing it, she leaned into Gibbs.

"Abby told me you had a secret about me," Gibbs said.

"Yeah...?"

"Don't worry, she didn't tell me what it was. Only that you'd tell if I accepted your love, and I have. So..." he nudged her shoulder.

"Well, it's about you and Mom. When she found out she was pregnant, she was going to tell you but you left her before she had the chance. She knew you had demons, but she didn't care. She... loved you. I remember as a kid Mom never going on a date. I asked her a few years ago about dating, and she said, 'no one made me happier than Jethro. Kitchen, basement, bedroom: he was good in every room.' And then she'd get a funny look on her face," Gibbs' face was wide-eyed. "Her words, not mine. Anywho the secret is: when I was born, she used 'Jethro' as my middle cause a) I wasn't a boy so a girl named 'Jethro' wouldn't have been good, and b) it was a way to keep a part of you with her. She told me I had my father's blue eyes; she said they were piercing."

"She told me that the night we met."

"They are. But you and Mom have the same eyes; I see years of built-up sadness."

He wrapped his arm around her, snuggling her in his embrace.

"I... I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, baby," he kissed her head. "I love you too."

* * *

Later that night, Gibbs stayed up, his mind deep in thought. He sat on his couch, thinking about the list Janie made. The thought of being a father again scared him a bit, but also overjoyed him. While thinking, he started to hear crying. He recognized it: Janie. He ran upstairs and stopped at the bedroom door. He opened the door quietly to see Janie whimpering in her sleep. She started crying again so he went over to wake her up.

"Wake up," he said shaking her. "Janie, wake up!"

"AAH!" Janie woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. She looked up at Gibbs and grabbed him for a hug. She whimpered in his chest, he cradled her to calm her.

"It's okay," he said shushing her. "It's over now. It's over. What happened?"

"Julio Cruz... you didn't save me. He..."

"No, no," he didn't want her to say it. "Don't say that."

"Will you stay with me? Just until I fall asleep again?"

Gibbs nodded and crawled into bed with Janie. She wrapped her arms around her father, nuzzling her face in his chest. Gibbs cradled his baby girl, a fantasy he dreamed about for years. Gibbs' nose caught the scent of Janie's shampoo. Her smell reminded him of her mother: simple, elegant with a hint of sexy. He remembered how Chloe cuddled him the same way: arms around tight around his body and her face deep in his chest. He smiled as the memory filled his mind. He stroked Janie's hair; Chloe liked it when he stroked her hair and Janie did as well, for she started to hum softly. Soon Janie's breathing calmed down, and they both fell fast asleep.


	13. Broken Together

**Song time! I do recommend listening to it, it's sad but describe Gibbs and Janie so so well, especially the chorus. It's called "Broken Together" by Casting Crowns. P.S. I wouldn't mind Gibbs cuddling me. Review if you are like me ^_^**

* * *

Tony arranged the wine glasses ever so nicely on his kitchen island. He had a bottle of red and white; he also had a jug of grape juice. He got it for Janie because she made a choice not to drink. He was not one to judge her, having his own judgement set upon him by others because of his wealthy upbringing. Plus, he didn't want Janie to be left out.

Tonight, Janie was to perform a musical concert for the NCIS family. It was one of her father/daughter bucket list items so Gibbs made sure it'd come true. As Tony fixed his hair in the mirror, the door bell rang. He went to the door and opened it to find McGee and Abby.

"Hey guys," Tony greeted. "Come on in."

McGee and walked in where they saw the baby grand sparkling. Chairs were arranged around it like an orchestra.

"I hope Janie doesn't mind me recording her," McGee said. "Delilah loves piano concerts and I didn't want her to miss it."

Since the door was open, Palmer and his wife Breena walked in.

"Hello!" Jimmy said in his cheery voice.

Soon the rest of the team came to Tony's apartment, with the exception of Gibbs and Janie. Tony poured everyone a glass of wine.

"When are Jethro and Miss Cooper arriving?" Ducky asked.

"Janie texted me and said they pulled up a few minutes ago," Abby replied, then the doorbell rang. "There they are!"

Abby went to the door and opened it to find Gibbs clasping his arm with Janie's, like a gentleman would for his date.

"Aww," Abby sighed. "That's so cute!"

She gave Gibbs one of her big hug, pulling him in tighter than usual. While still holding tight, Abby leaned in Gibbs' ear and whispered, "I'm so proud of you."

After hugging Gibbs, she hugged Janie the same way: warm and friendly.

"You look so pretty!" Abby squealed happily. Janie was wearing a gold-and-black stripped, fit-and-flare dress with a long sleeved, thin textured, black turtleneck and black leggings underneath. "I got these for you."

"Aw, thank you!" She replied. They were black roses. "They smell so pretty.

"Tony says you're really good at piano and singing. You play like John Legend and sing like Jewel."

"He said that?"

"Oh yeah, especially the Jewel reference. Soft but powerful."

"How is it that DiNozzo hears you sign first and I don't?" Gibbs asked.

"The first night I came here, I was just drawn to it," Janie replied. "It was a comfort."

"Yeah, she sang a piano version of a heavy rock song," Tony added. "Brought a tear to my eye."

"You never told me that."

"I don't tell a lot of people a lot of things."

"I'd say," McGee joined the group. He then hugged Janie. "So we gonna hear some music?"

"Yeah," Janie replied.

The group gathered around the piano, Janie stood near the stool.

"Welcome everyone," Janie stated. "Thank you for coming tonight. This is the first concert I've ever performed, so I'm a bit nervous. But as I play, I play for my mom, Chloe Cooper. Losing my mom is hard, but I believe everything happens for a reason. I may have lost my mom," she then looked straight in Gibbs' blue eyes, "but I got a father and a family in return, and I couldn't be more thankful."

The group started applauding; Janie smiled. She sat down and prepped herself, this is when McGee started recording. The first song she played was "I Am... All of Me": the song she played when she slept over at Tony's. After nearly an hour of playing, Janie stated she would play one more song.

"This one is dedicated to my Mom and Dad. The last chorus is for him and me."

 _What do you think about when you look at me?_

 _I know we're not the fairytale you dreamed we'd be_

 _You wore the veil, you walked the aisle, you took my hand_

 _And we dove into a mystery_

 _How I wish we could go back to simpler times_

 _Before all our scars and all out secrets were in the light_

 _Now on this hallowed ground, we've drawn the battle lines_

 _Will we make it through the night?_

 _It's gonna take much more than promises this time_

 _Only God can change our minds_

 _Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete_

 _Could we just be broken together_

 _If you could being your shattered dreams and I'll bring mine_

 _Could healing still be spoke and save us_

 _The only way to last forever is broken together_

 _How it must have been so lonely by my side_

 _We were building kingdoms and chasing dreams and left love behind_

 _I'm praying God we'll help our broken hearts align_

 _And we won't give up the fight_

 _It's gonna take much more than promises this time_

 _Only God can change our minds_

 _Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete_

 _Could we just be broken together_

 _If you could being your shattered dreams and I'll bring mine_

 _Could healing still be spoke and save us_

 _The only way to last forever is broken together_

 _Maybe you and I were never meant to be complete_

 _Could we just be broken together_

 _If you could being your shattered dreams and I'll bring mine_

 _Could healing still be spoke and save us_

 _The only way to last forever is broken together_

When she finished playing, everyone applauded. Janie looked to her small crowd and took note of Gibbs, whose eyes were filled with tears.


	14. ComiCon

Janie sat on the bus headed to NCIS, she had put her earbuds in to listen to her music. Today was ComiCon and she was so, so excited for it. McGee and Delilah were going as an Elf King and Queen. Janie had her costume in a paper shopping bag, she kept it close to her chest.

After riding and transferring buses for over an hour, she finally made it to NCIS. Unfortunately, she had to walk a bit because the bus didn't drop her off at the front doors. She didn't mind though, she found walking and listening to her music very therapeutic. At last, she made it to the front door! She walked in and went through security. She put her bag in the metal's bin and she walked through the metal detector. She didn't beep but her bag did.

"What have you got in the bag, miss?" The guard asked as he started to look through it.

"It must be the bobby pins," Janie replied; the guard then pulled out a platinum blonde wig. "Don't give me that look. I'm going to ComiCon with an NCIS agent."

"McGee?"

"How'd you know?"

"DiNozzo keeps mentioning it every time he comes in."

Janie smirked and she grabbed her bag after it was examined and found safe. She then went to the front desk to grab a 'visitor' tag to let her in the building. She went on the elevator and pressed the down button. A short ride later, Janie ended up on Abby's floor. She got off and entered the goth's lair. She heard Abby's music blaring as usual.

"You're here!" Abby exclaimed when she saw Janie. They hugged.

"Hello," Janie turned to see Delilah, she was dressed as Tim's Elf Queen.

"Oh, hello. You're Delilah from the DoD?"

"Yes, I am. But today I'm Tim's fiancée."

"Where is Tim anyway?"

"Just finishing up some paperwork," Abby replied. "You better get changed."

"Right!" Janie went down the hall to the ladies' washroom. As she ran off, McGee came off the elevator.

"Oh, hey," Tim said to the girls. "Is Janie here yet?"

"You just missed her," Delilah replied as she gave Tim a peck on the lips. "She changing now. Are you changing?"

"Got my headgear in Abby's office, I'm wearing the outfit underneath my clothes. What's Janie going as?"

"Janie promised me not to tell," Abby answered. "She wanted everyone to be surprised cause she made the outfit herself."

"Sounds like you and Janie are close," Delilah noted.

"Oh yeah, we're so BFFs. She's like a really cool little sister, and that's cool cause I don't have a sister. We talk all the time on the phone."

"How's she doing, anyway?" McGee asked.

"Considering everything she's been through, it's strength I've seen in only one other person."

"Gibbs."

"Or maybe she just internalizes like Gibbs," Delilah suggested.

"She did tell me that she's been having nightmares for a while," Abby added. "She doesn't want to bother Gibbs about it though. She said she doesn't want to be a burden on him."

"She has to tell him," McGee said.

"Abby!" Janie called out from outside the lab. "I need a zip-up!"

"Coming!" Abby said as she started to go over. "Tim, you better get ready."

"Right," he replied. He went to the back and got ready, when he was done Janie came back in the lab with her outfit on. "Wow, you look different. It's a good different."

* * *

Upstairs in the bullpen, Tony was waiting eagerly to see Tim's outfit.

"Oh, this is gonna be good," Tony giggled as he rubbed his hands together like an evil scientist. "McElf in his Elf costume with his Elf Queen!"

"Oh, would you leave him alone?" Ziva groaned. "Besides, Janie's going with them."

"Oh yeah. I wonder what Janie's going as."

"It's a surprise, Tony," McGee said as he and Delilah came in the room from the back elevator. "All I can say is that she made it herself."

"Oh-ho!" Tony turned and laughed happily. "Finally! I get to see the King of Dorkland in his _gloooooorrrryy_!"

"Now you just sound creepy, DiNozzo," Gibbs walked in the room.

"Sorry, Boss. But please let me bask in this moment. Oh! Pictures!" Tony pulled out his phone and starting shooting. "This is definitely winning the Nerd Award for Best Nerdy Couple."

"No wonder you are still single," Ziva noted.

"People! People! People!" Abby came running in the room from the back elevator as well.

"Abby, calm down," Gibbs asked her. "What is it?"

"I'm here to present her royalty," Abby curtsied for Janie as she walked in the room. "Queen Elsa!"

Janie came in wearing a blue, sheath dress with the sparkly corset and cape. She wore a platinum blonde French braided wig and her make-up was on point.

"Ooooohh..." Tony drooled as he gawked at Janie. "Let it go..."

 **SLAP!**

"Hey!" Gibbs growled as he super-Gibbs-slapped Tony. "That's my daughter you're thinking about."

"Mmm," Tony whimpered loudly as he curled his body up from the blow. "It's just that, even if she _is_ your daughter, I'd date her."

"Never more than once."

"But Daddy, I love him," Janie goo gooed as she wrapped herself around Tony's arm. Gibbs went wide-eyed.

"Really?" Tony lit up.

"Ew, no," at this point Gibbs smirked. "You're like a big brother to me. One I can watch movies with."

"I'll take it," The two hugged. "Oh! Pictures!"

Tony once again took photos of her and her with the team.

"Aww," Abby sighed as she looked at the photo of Gibbs and Janie. "You two are so photogenic. You sure make cute Gibblets, Gibbs."

"C'mon Tim, were going to be late," Janie said.

"Alright, alright," Tim said.

"McGee," Gibbs took Tim aside. "She's _your_ responsibility."

"Yes sir," he said terrified.

As they walked off, McGee kept his guard up while with Janie because he knew if anything bad happened to her...

"You okay, Tim?" Janie asked when the three of them got in the elevator. "You look a little pale. No, _really_ pale."

"Yeah, um... just do me a favour," McGee gulped. "Don't got kidnapped again."


	15. Ghosts of Me

**Hello! Sorry for the delay. I just don't want the story to get boring...**

* * *

By now, Janie had returned to work at the Diner. No, it wasn't the place she wanted to be but it was a place where she earned some money. Despite the grouchy customers at times, it took her mind off of things. It was nice to see her dad come in and order, he'd send a text reading 'coffee' to let her know he'd be coming over for a pick-me-up.

It was 5:30pm when Janie's cell started buzzing; Abby was texting.

 _"Hey,"_ Abby texted. _"When are you off?"_

 _"6pm."_

 _"I was going to go bowling with my nun friends. Did you wanna come? More the merrier!"_

 _"Sure! ~blue heart, blue heart~"_

Janie tucked her phone in her pocket. She finished her shift and waited outside the diner for Abby. A bit after 6pm, Abby showed up in her classic car; Janie hopped in the passenger seat.

"Thanks for inviting me," Janie said. "After dealing with Grouchy Oscars who expect the Ritz at a roadside diner, bowling will be a nice debriefing activity."

"No problem!" Abby started driving. "How are you doing? Living with Gibbs, I mean."

"Well, we're both simple people so I think it's okay. We made a homemade meal the other night."

"How did that turn out?"

"Alright. We kept it simple: spaghetti and meatballs. Didn't want to scare him with something fancy." Abby giggled. Janie smiled, but kept her head down.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure." She was uneasy.

"Are you still having the nightmares?"

"...yeah."

"You gotta tell Gibbs about them. He was there for me when I had my nightmares."

"I can't... he's busy with work and caching killers. The last thing he needs on his mind are my nightmares and problems."

"But he's your dad, that's what dads do. They... dad."

"Sometimes I wonder if he even wants me around."

The shock Abby got from hearing Janie saying that made her stop the car. Luckily, they had made it to the bowling alley early.

"Don't you EVER think he doesn't want you! Tim tells me when he's deep in thought, he always looks at Shadow. ALWAYS! He loves you. I'm not his blood daughter but he still loves me like one. And as your unofficially adopted sister, I'm not gonna stop bugging you until you talk to Gibbs about your nightmares."

"I have a feeling you're gonna keep that promise."

"...talk to him."

* * *

Abby and Janie were driving to Gibbs' place; bowling had ended and Janie needed a ride home.

"That was fun," Janie said.

"It sure was!"

"That was my first strike in years! That reminds me, don't ask why, but I was looking at colleges."

"Oh, goodie! What were you thinking about taking?"

"Forensic scientist."

"Alright! It's super fun and awesome."

"But I didn't want to go as a Cooper... well, not fully."

"What do you mean?"

"Think you could help me alter my surname? I wanna keep Cooper for my mom, but-"

"JANIE COOPER-GIBBS!" Abby was overexcited.

"Well, maybe 'Janie Cooper Jethro Gibbs'."

"Sure, I can help you with that."

Janie smiled.

During the drive, Janie and Abby listened to Three Days Grace: heavy but understandable. They banged their heads and sung along like sisters would do.

* * *

At home, Gibbs sat awake on his couch. It was only a bit past 9pm, but he still worried. He fidgeted his hands around when he 'heard' a voice.

"What's wrong with you, Probie?" Gibbs looked up and saw Mike Franks' ghost sitting in a chair across from him.

"You don't know?" Gibbs asked him with a slight growl in his voice.

"You think I spend all my time watching you? Gotta have some afterlife time to myself."

"I have a daughter."

"How old?"

"Twenty-three."

"Oooooh!" Franks laughed as he slapped his knee. "You got lucky and didn't tell me? Right under my nose! Please tell me her mom isn't one of your exes."

"Nope. Petty officer at the time."

"Former First Sergeant now," a new voice appeared. Gibbs and Franks looked up to see Chloe Cooper's ghost.

"Is she the girl?" Franks asked Gibbs, the latter nodded so Mike got up to kiss her hand. "Mike Franks, ma'am."

"Chloe Cooper. Now I know where Gibbs got his charm," she looked past Franks and saw Gibbs. "Jethro..."

"Chloe," Gibbs was flabbergasted. "Why are you here?"

"Cause my baby girl is living with you. Think I wouldn't check up?"

"Feisty this one," Franks commented. "No wonder you slept with her."

"You wanna see feisty, old man?" Chloe pointed at him. "You keep it up." Franks backed up with his hands up; she then sat beside Gibbs. "How's our daughter?"

" _Our_ daughter," Gibbs huffed a small laugh. "Never thought I'd hear that again."

"Why? Cause you know no woman in her right mind would stay with you?"

"I like this one, Probie," Mike chimed in.

"Jethro, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Janie."

"Don't be. I don't think I was ready to be a father again that quickly."

"Are you ready now?"

"Not sure. Love the girl to bits, but I've never been so terrified."

"Being a single parent can be tough, and having a child with autism can be even tougher. But one thing I learned from it is that every moment counts. She needs you, Jethro. Now more than ever."

Gibbs blinked and saw that he was alone once more. He knew what he had to do. Then he heard a loud noise, like muffled music, so he investigated. He looked through his front window and saw Abby's car with Janie in the passenger seat. When he saw her, he felt his breath return to him, a weight lifted off his chest. He inhaled and exhaled deeply. Janie walked through the front door and saw Gibbs in the living room.

"Oh, hi," she said. "You waited up for me?"

"Course I waited for you."

"Dad, I gotta talk with you." Gibbs nodded, they both sat on the lumpy couch. "It's about... I'm... still having nightmares."

"I know."

"How-? Of course you know."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope."

"Of course I don't," she huffed a laugh but kept her head down as she talked. "I guess I didn't want to bug you with my problems."

"Why would you think you're bugging me?"

"Cause you're catching killers and probably have a lot of paperwork to do. I mean, I just came in your life like that. I know I'm a big curveball for you and I don't want to interrupt your life."

"Janie," he cupped her face and turned her to face him. "You coming into my life has been nothing but a blessing. And one thing I learned from you is to never underestimate you. Don't ever think of yourself as a burden to me, because you're not."

"I don't want to pine for pain to see my mom," Janie said with tears in her eyes. "I miss her."

Janie buried herself in Gibbs' body, they laid down on the couch. His warm embrace hushed her worried soul.

"I know you do. It'll get better," he soft spoke. "Losing someone is never easy."

"But one day... we'll remember them and we won't hurt."

 _We?_

As they hugged, Gibbs looked up to see Chloe, Shannon and Kelly smiling at them.


	16. Author's Note

**So I was wondering something and I wanted your opinions. Should I end the story here or continue? Cause according to time, Gibbs would be a super, duper old man and... yeah...**

 **so...?**


	17. My Cursed Past

**ONE YEAR LATER**

Janie sat on the crowded city bus, her bags close to her body. She had her headphones in listening to Three Days Grace; before her death, Chloe enjoyed listening to the band. The band brought back good memories for Janie. The last year was rough for her, but there was also some good. She had Gibbs, but he was a man. They saw things differently based on their life experiences and what kind of plumbing they were installed with. It was the worst when Janie was 'being a woman'...

But lately Janie's women problems have been even more problematic. Instead of every twenty-eight days, the span was stretched further to even forty days. She was going to the doctor later today to get it checked out. Soon after, her stop came. She got off and started walking, listening to her music. After a few blocks of walking, she came to her destination. She read the sign that hung beside the front door:

 _Golden Dragon MMA Studio_

 _Includes: Karate, Female Kickboxing, MMA, Boxing, Jiujitsu, Judo and Yoga_

She walked in to see several people training with professionals and on their own. Today, Janie was going to punch the punching bag. She went to the change room to switch into her gym outfit and get sports tape on her hands and wrists. She came out and headed to an empty bag. She braced herself to punch and inhaled deeply.

Her fists clenched hard, the tape preventing her hands from bleeding from her fingernails. Then she punched the bag, soft at first to warm up. But with each punch she delivered, they became harder and angrier. She soon became to sweat profusely, and her tears were soon combining with her sweat. She cried more when she remembered her mom and the topic of sweating: exercise is a great way to get stress and heartache out. I like sweating when I workout because no one knew I was crying.

 **YESTERDAY MORNING**

It was one year today. One year ago today, Janie Cooper watched the only parent in her life, at the time, get shot to death. The Diner knew it was the anniversary so they gave her the day off.

That morning, Janie sat at the kitchen table with her mug of tea. She just held the mug in her hands, staring at the steam coming out. Gibbs came down the stairs, early enough to make himself a cup of coffee.

"Mornin'," Gibbs said to Janie as he walked by, then he looked again to see Janie in, what appeared to be, a trance. "Janie?"

"Huh?" Janie looked up to see Gibbs standing across the table from her.

"You okay?"

"Oh, yeah. Fine."

"You sure?" He poured his coffee and sat down adjacent to Janie. "Looks like you haven't slept."

"I sleep."

"Don't you work in an hour?"

"Called in."

"Why?"

"...I didn't sleep last night."

Gibbs paused. "I know it's the anniversary."

"Yeah..." she stared back at her mug.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I don't think you're the right person to talk to. Not that I wouldn't talk to you about it. I don't think you could fully understand."

"What wouldn't I understand?" Janie put her head down, silently begging him to stop interrogating her. "Okay..."

He got up from his seat and swigged back the last of his coffee. He grabbed his phone, keys and wallet and kissed Janie on the side of her head.

"I love you, kiddo."

She did say anything so he headed for the front door. As he opened it, Janie turned around in her seat.

"Daddy?" Gibbs turned as well. "...I love you, too."

Gibbs smiled at her then shut the door and left. Janie sat in the big house alone, she needed to be alone right now. But at the same time, she needed someone to talk to. She went upstairs to her room and grabbed her guitar. She couldn't sing right now, just strum some chords in a melodic way. After about an hour of strumming, she decided to try and get some sleep. She laid down on her bed and rested her eyes. Within twenty minutes, she was sound asleep, but her subconscious was racing.

 _Janie laid on an old, dirty mattress that was in the middle of a large room. The walls and floor were covered in dirt, there were no windows and there was one door that seemed forever to get to. She tried to move, but her hands were tied behind her back. She looked at the bottom of the mattress and saw Julio Cruz standing over her, smirking at his victim. He crawled over her and started to rip her blouse open._

 _"No! Stop!" She yelled._

 _But the villain wasn't listening, as his greedy needs clouded her pleading. Soon, she felt herself bare and feeling a sharp pain entered her body._

"AAH!" Janie screamed as she woke up from her nightmare.

It took a few seconds to come back down, but she deduced that she was back in her room. She rubbed her eyes and started crying. Witnessing her mom's murder was one thing, but to be raped by the guy who ordered the hit was another. Janie curled up in a ball on her bed and sobbed loudly, rocking back and forth to try and comfort herself.

* * *

Ducky and Jimmy were working on their latest corpse, examining and gathering samples. As they worked, Gibbs came in the cold room.

"Ah, Jethro," Ducky greeted. "We're just about finished the autopsy."

"Just gotta take these up to Abby," Jimmy added.

But Gibbs didn't seem to be listening, he seemed distracted. He walked over by Ducky's small desk and fiddled with the pens in their holder.

"Mr. Palmer, maybe it be best to send those samples up to Ms. Scuito now."

"Yes, Doctor." Jimmy left leaving the senior men alone.

"So, Jethro, I was thinking of getting an eagle tattoo on my arm. What do you think?" Ducky was seeing if Gibbs was truly distracted.

"Sounds good, Duck." He was.

"Sounds stupid to me!"

"What?" Gibbs turned to face him.

"Jethro, you seem troubled. Is it Janie?"

Silence.

"It's the anniversary of her mother's death, isn't it?"

Silence.

"What's troubling the most?"

"She's not getting any sleep," Gibbs finally spoke. "I think she's still having the dreams."

"She hasn't told you?" Gibbs shook his head. "When people are stressed, they either internalize or externalize. Based on Janie's personality, she internalizes stress which has lead to her dreams and insomnia. Some people with autism will already have a sleeping disorder, so this stress isn't helping her. May I ask what the dreams are about?"

"I don't show up and that bastard-!" Gibbs slammed his fist on the table at the end of his sentence. Ducky had a feeling how the dream ended.

"I don't specialize in dreams, but I think Janie has a fear of abandonment. Her mother was all she had and she was literally taken away from her. You need to talk to her about this."

"Not sure I want to open up those wounds again, Duck. She's so damn emotional," Gibbs started to leave.

"It's her coping mechanism. If you don't do this, you might lose your daughter all over again."

Gibbs stopped at those words. First Kelly and now Janie? He couldn't lose his baby girl again. Not to another drug monster.

 **PRESENT**

Janie gasped for air as she finished her workout. The kickboxing was a good stress reliever for her, punching out all her problems right in their faces. Then she headed for the showers. She stood under the water as her mind went blank. Flashbacks of the assault raced through her mind: the livestream, the thumb-biting, being thrown on a dirty mattress, her blouse being ripped apart, Gibbs shooting him dead.

 **BANG!**

Janie jumped as her mind echoed the gunshot, she breathed heavily as she came back into reality. The shower walls were shiny enough to see your reflection so she looked at herself. Despite being a survivor, all she saw was that girl with her shirt ripped open and her monster's blood staining her ivory face red. Janie scrubbed herself hard, she felt so dirty; she longed to feel clean again. After showering, she dried up and headed to the doctor.


	18. New Case

**Hello again! I'm so glad everyone is enjoying the fanfic! And don't forget to read the last chapter... I noticed not many people read on weekends so I'll try to post during Mondays-Fridays. P.S. this and the latest chapter is all connected, not that all the chapters are connect, but these ones happen within a day of each other. Enjoy my lovelies! P.P.S. short chapter yes, but it makes it more suspenseful for reading *smiles and cookies***

* * *

Bullpen area. The three musketeers sat at their desks, except for Tony, who was holding Janie's Shadow doll. He and Shadow were face-to-face, Tony staring into the ruby eyes.

"What does she see in this?" Tony asked out loud. "I mean, so emo..."

"Tony, put the doll down," McGee groaned.

"No really," Tony tilted his head to the side. "How can you like a guy who never smiles? They even stitched a frown on him. Ziva, honest opinion. Would you date this guy?"

Tony shoved the doll in her face to make her pay attention.

"Maybe if he were a human, yes," she smirked. "He's very handsome."

"Of course you would," Tony groaned as he pulled Shadow back. "Gun expert, professional assassin."

"I believed you saw this doll similar to Gibbs."

"Just the personality: cold-hearted, loner, seldom smiles, functional mute. I bet not even a silver bullet could kill him."

"You describing Shadow or me?"

...

Gibbs stood behind Tony, the latter frozen with fear.

"Will I get a head slap if I answer incorrectly?"

 **SLAP!**

"Put Shadow down and grab your gear. We got an AMBER Alert."

"Who's been kidnaped?" McGee asked.

"Marine's eight year old daughter."

* * *

By now, Gibbs' team had processed the house of the marine and his daughter. Their investigation started off with an eight year old Luna Nylon playing with her friends in the park. The sitter had been distracted with her own kid misbehaving when a stranger came and took Luna. Witnesses saw a silver sedan pulling away as the sitter was calling for the little girl. The only two pieces of physical evidence they got were a cigarette butt near where the car was parked and an oily footprint, size 11. Abby had just gotten them to work on.

Currently, Gibbs was talking to one Corporal Michael Nylon, the girl's father. They sat in the interview room, but more like Gibbs was sitting and Nylon was pacing. Nylon ran his hands through his marine-cut dirty blonde hair, his heavy step echoed across the room.

"How could this happen?" Nylon muttered to himself.

"You didn't know this was going to happen, Corporal," Gibbs said trying to reassure him.

"And why are we here? I should be out there looking for my daughter!"

"And we are. But I need you to focus, marine. Sit."

Nylon had no choice but to sit down, so he did but groaned as he did.

"What do you need to know?"

"What kind of home life do you have?"

"What's that suppose to mean?" Nylon was defensive.

"Because it'll let us know if Luna was a victim of opportunity or if she were targeted." Nylon sighed.

"It's just her and me. Her mom, my wife, died from a drunk driver."

"Sorry."

"When I'm not in the office, I'm with Luna. She's my whole life."

 _"I love you, Daddy."_

"Have you noticed anyone following you recently? Or Luna for that matter?"

"I'm a Corporal, Agent Gibbs. I'm trained to be aware of my surroundings."

"Is there anyone who has a beef with you or Luna?"

"Besides the guys I killed overseas?" Nylon shook his head. "And Luna is the sweetest girl you'll meet. She believes everyone has a good side. Ever since Frozen came out, she's gone as Elsa for Halloween every year."

 _"I even made my outfit, too."_

"Corporal, have you come into any money recently?"

"Well, I wouldn't call it 'recent', but when my wife died her life insurance left us with $100,000. 10% went to Luna's college fund and the rest went to repairs in the house. Roof, flooring, foundation. The only money left from that would be Luna's fund. Why do you ask?"

"Your daughter's abduction is looking more like a stranger abduction, so the kidnapper might call for random money."

 _"I won't break to the likes of you."_

"Do you have children, Agent Gibbs?"

"Yes, I do," Gibbs softly smiled and nodded. "A daughter."

 _"Those icy blues?"_

"Then you know you'd do anything for your kids."

 _"Will you stay with me? Just until I fall asleep again?"_

 _ **RING!**_

The Corporal's phone started ringing, it was text message. He excused himself as he opened the text, and what he saw shocked him.

"Agent Gibbs, you were right. It's the kidnapper and they want money."

Nylon gave Gibbs his phone as it read:

 **$50,000 IN A DUFFLE BAG WHERE YOUR DAUGHTER WAS TAKEN OR SHE DIES!**

Underneath the text was an attachment of a photo: proof of life.


	19. Princess of the Night Rescued

**Hello my lovelies! I apologize in advanced if this chapter is rushed (because the main story is about Gibbs and Janie) but I'm thinking the story might be ending soon, but not without throwing a curveball... I might want to start back on my other stories so if you like Sonic the Hedgehog please read :).**

 **Anywho, italics are flashbacks (and they were also in the last chapter... I should have mentioned that before... oops).**

* * *

Janie sat in the doctor's office waiting for him to come in the room. She had gotten some blood work and some physical exams some time ago and was now getting the results. She had also been having lower stomach cramps for some time now. Finally, the doctor came in the small room.

"Ms Gibbs, hello," he said with no emotion. "I have the results of your blood tests."

* * *

Gibbs was now down in Abby's lab with Nylon's cellphone. The kidnapper also added that they had one hour to come up with the money and Corporal Nylon had to deliver it.

"Abby, do you have anything?" Gibbs asked her.

"The phone that sent the text is a burner and the person on the other end turned it off, so I can't trace it," Abby told him.

"Abby, anything?"

"I did find a substance in the footstep from the abduction site, and Major Mass found out that it's motor oil. And by the grade of it, it's the cheapest kind."

"What about the cigarette butt?"

"I was able to get a bit of DNA from the filter, but the guy didn't commit a documented crime, so he's not in CODIS."

Then Tony came in the room.

"Boss, I just got off the phone with Metro," Tony said. "They report no one unusual coming around the park."

Then Gibbs started leaving; Tony rushed himself into the elevator with Gibbs.

"So, what's the plan, Bossman?"

"We're gonna see if the kidnapper keeps to his promise."

* * *

The hour had come to make the drop. Corporal Nylon had a heavy-looking duffle bag in his hand. He walked over to a park bench and placed the bag under it and walked away.

"Bag's in place," Tony said in his mic as he and Ziva walked a baby carriage.

They waited for a moment, but no one came.

"No one has come for the bag," Ziva noted.

"They'll come," Gibbs said as he sat on a different bench reading a newspaper.

And they did. A man wearing dark clothing was walking up to the bench; he grabbed the bag and started to open it.

"Move in."

The team moved in on the suspect, of which he tried to flee but was tackled to the ground easily.

"Where's the girl?" Tony barked at the suspect.

"Aah!" The suspect cried out.

"Where?!"

"She's in the van down the street! I wasn't gonna hurt her none!"

Gibbs left Tony and Ziva to the suspect, he made his way to the lonely, black panel van parked a few yards away. He pointed his gun as he peered through the front window: empty. He made his way to the back, he grabbed a handle of the door, keeping his gun steady. He clicked the handle and swung the door open. There he saw Luna bound and gagged, she looked terrified.

His mind flashed back to when Janie was kidnapped: tied to an old wooden chair. Bloodied. In pain. Luckily, it didn't look like this little girl was physically hurt.

"Hey there," Gibbs softly said as he climbed in the van with her. "It's okay, I'm a good guy. Your dad's real worried about you."

"Daddy?" Luna said when Gibbs carefully took the gag off.

 _"Daddy," Janie sobbed._

"Yeah," Gibbs continued to untie her. After doing so, he picked her up and carried her out to the ambulance that had arrived. "These nice people are gonna make sure you're not hurt, okay?"

Luna nodded her head. He handed her off to the paramedics and returned to his team; they had gotten the suspect in a cruiser.

"Who is he?" Gibbs asked them.

"One Robert Barnes," Tony replied.

They found out that the Robert Barnes was a mechanic who was in major debt. He had overheard Corporal Nylon had put several thousand dollars in Luna's college fund and thought if he could take the girl, he'd get the money.

* * *

Later that evening, the team was back in the office, at their desk finishing up paperwork.

"I still can't believe someone was so desperate enough to take a little girl for money," McGee sighed.

"I'm just glad the creep's in jail now," Tony said. "Not very smart on his plan."

"I guess his plan didn't cut the ketchup then," Ziva added.

"Mustard, Ziva. 'His plan didn't cut the mustard'."

"Whatever."

 _Ding!_

"Agent Gibbs," the elevator door opened to Corporal Nylon and his daughter Luna.

"Corporal," Gibbs said as he got up from his desk.

"I want to thank you for rescuing my daughter. After my wife died, I thought I wasn't gonna make it. But Luna kept me together."

"Daddy," Luna said tugging her father's sleeve.

"And, uh, Luna wanted to come and see you again. Go ahead, honey."

Gibbs knelt down to her level. Suddenly, Luna gave Gibbs a huge hug; he couldn't help but smile and hug her back.

"Thank you for saving me, Mr. Gibbs," she said as she finally let go.

"You're very welcome," he smiled.

"Here! I made this for you."

She handed him a drawing she had made; it was of her being rescued by Gibbs. Up top it read: TO THE NICE MAN THAT SAVED ME. LOVE LUNA. Gibbs felt warm inside, like he had when Kelly was alive.

"It's beautiful," he told her. "Thank you."

She smiled and blushed, holding her father's hand again. Gibbs stood back up.

"You know," Nylon said. "I always thought my wife named her Luna because she was born at midnight. It wasn't. It was because there can be beauty in the darkest of times. Thank you again."

Gibbs nodded; Nylon and Luna left the team and headed home.

* * *

Gibbs got home to find Janie sobbing on the couch. It wasn't like a 'I-feel-sad' sob, but a 'I'm-in-pain-and-I-don't-have-any-pain-medication' sob.

"Janie?" Gibbs asked concerned as he went to her. "What wrong? Are you hurt?"

"N-no," she wept as she wiped the tears away as best she could. "Not physically, I don't think."

"What is going on?"

"I got some tests done because I'm not feeling that well, I feel really sick all the time," Janie hung her head. "The doctor is pretty sure I have ovarian cancer."

Gibbs froze at the statement she just said.

"W-what?"

"He sent me to go see a gynaecologist next week. I'm scared. I don't wanna die. What am I gonna do?"

 _"What am I gonna do?"_ She had said those exact words when Chloe died.

Janie started sobbing, Gibbs instinctively grabbed her in to hold her.

"You're not gonna die," he said trying to reassure her. "You're gonna be okay. Shh... shh..."

Janie just rocked back and forth in his arms.


	20. Can I be as Strong as Him?

**Hello again! First off: Happy May 2-4! Second: for the story, paragraphs in italics are thoughts. Enjoy!**

* * *

It was before work as Gibbs and Janie sat in the gynaecologist's sitting room; it was a quiet room except for the typing the receptionists were doing and Janie shaking her leg uncontrollably. Both Gibbs' never thought they'd be in this type of room. Last time male Gibbs was in this type of room was when Shannon was pregnant with Kelly. He put on a brave face for her, but deep down he was terrified.

 _"They never taught us how to prepare for this in basic training,"_ Gibbs thought to himself. _"I can shoot an enemy from three miles away but I can't stand to be in this room."_

Gibbs' hands started to fidget. Despite all his training, nothing could prepare him for this.

"Are you okay?" Janie asked him. "You look nervous."

"Yeah, I'm okay," he lied.

"I don't think so. _I'm_ the one getting her legs up in stirrups. I should be the nervous one."

"So shaking your leg isn't from nerves then?"

"Nope. Just a habit."

"Ms Gibbs," a nurse came in the waiting room. Janie got up to leave, but not without Gibbs grabbing her hand. She tensed up at the touch; she knew it was normal for a father to touch his daughter as an act of reassurance, but her autistic compulsions made her hate being touched unexpectedly.

"I'm right here," he reassured her.

"I-I know," she replied. He let her go, at which point she grabbed her hand and rubbed it with the other hand to 'feel better'.

Gibbs was left in the room with a couple of pregnant mothers. He thought about motherhood, how Shannon and Chloe went through it. But would Janie go through it? The thought of grandchildren never really crossed his mind, since he never had grown children to have them. But with Janie in his life, could she give them to him? But what if this issue she has prevented her from having children? Would she even want children? Remembering the cases involving young children, they always seemed to gravitate towards him. He never knew why, maybe because he spent so much time with eight year old Kelly? Or was it a sort of kid-friendly aura he emitted that only children could see? He didn't know, as so many questions filled his head.

"Mr. Gibbs?" He raised his head to see that the same nurse from before had called his name. "Your daughter would like to have you in the room."

Gibbs got up and walked with the nurse to the private room. He found Janie in one chair and a butchy-looking doctor in the other. He saw several certificates and awards hanging on the wall, all complimenting her as a baby doctor.

"I'm Dr. Humphrey," she greeted Gibbs in a rough voice. They shook hands as he sat next to Janie.

"I wanted you in here in case I miss something," Janie told him.

"So I examined Janie and looked over her chart and several tests. I can confirm that you do have ovarian cancer. However, it hasn't spread to your entire reproductive system yet. The best way to eliminate this from happening is to perform a salpingo-oophorectomy."

"A what?" Both Gibbs asked in confusion.

"It's an operation where we would take out one or both of your ovaries and fallopian tubes. You'd have to stay in the hospital for at least a week, at most."

"Does that mean I won't have my own children?" Janie asked.

"If you had both out, no. But with one set in, you have a slight chance. I won't know how much will have to be taken out until I actually get in there."

Dr. Humphrey paused for Janie to absorb the information she had heard. She continued.

"Because we caught it early, we might be able to only have to remove the one set. I'll write a prescription for you to take before the surgery, it'll shrink the tumour down."

As Dr. Humphrey scribbled the meds out on her medication pad, Janie had a blank look on her face. Thought after thought entered her mind. _How could I have gotten this? I'm a virgin. I feel so dirty. Is this the evil that Julio Cruz put in me? No, he never raped me, but he was going to. I don't know if I can to this._

She snapped out of her trance long enough to take the medication prescription from the doctor.

"Thank you, doctor," Janie said politely.

The three of them got up and went back to the reception where Janie got the date for her surgery. They left and got in Gibbs' truck and left for the office. It was pretty quiet after that, Gibbs didn't know what to say and it was probably best if he didn't say anything. Janie sat quietly in the passenger seat, not saying a word. But Gibbs had an idea. They got to the office and met the rest of the team up there. That's when he took Ziva aside behind the staircase.

"I need you to talk with Janie," Gibbs told her.

"With what?" She asked.

Gibbs did his quiet stare, at which Ziva knew what he meant. Ziva nodded and went to get Janie, they headed to an open interview room.

"How is everything?" Ziva asked as she closed the door.

"Alright I guess," Janie answered. "Dad told you to talk to me."

"He feels that because I am a woman, I can understand certain situations better than he can."

"I don't know how. I just got news that I'm going to lose my ability to lose children."

"I am sorry about that, but I don't think that is what's bothering you," Janie hung her head. "I have seen that look you have in your eyes... I have had it before myself. I was working for Mossad at the time. I went to Somalia and I got captured by the enemy. I... was tortured for months-"

"I'm reliving it!" Janie blurted out.

"Pardon?"

"The assault. I've... started reliving it. Working out, bathing, walking down the bloody street; all I can think about is the assault. I was so close to being hurt like that. I never should have let him take me to that room. But he had guards with him..." she paused. "I'm scared, I know what evil I'm capable of. Both my parents were Marines, I was born a fighter. But in afraid of the fighter in me turning into a monster. I feel like he took a part of me... and I need help."

Janie started sobbing loudly as she fell into Ziva's arms. Ziva hugged her close.

"I don't know if I can stay strong anymore."

"Yes you can," Ziva told her. "Look at me. We both have gone through terrible things, but my father never came to save me. Gibbs has been more of a father to me than my real father ever was. He will be there for you, and so will we."


	21. Her Mom's Laugh

**Hello! Super late here and super tired! But gonna post cause I know this is a chapter my readers have been looking forward to. Plus, I was looking back on my old stories and I feel that I've really grown as a writer. I hope you feel the same. Enjoy!**

* * *

Days went by, for what seemed like weeks. But after the wait time, it had finally come: Janie's surgery. Janie wasn't one to 'enjoy the journey', she preferred the destination and she couldn't wait to get there. But even as she sat in the hospital bed, waiting for the doctor to roll her in the operating room, she felt so many emotions: anxiety, happiness, fear, anger, relief... she was so confused to say the least.

"You don't have to stay with me if you don't want to," Janie told her father.

"Not going anywhere," he told her.

"You look like you haven't slept."

"I've stayed awake for a lot longer. How you feeling?"

"Surprisingly... calm. It's strange, but I've felt Mom with me these past couple of days. Is that strange?"

"Janie!" Abby suddenly came in the room holding flowers and a gift bag.

"Nope," Gibbs chuckled as saw the definition of strange walk in. "I don't think that's strange at all."

"I brought some goodies," Abby said showing the bag. "With McGee's help, I was able to complete your collection."

Janie gasped in joy when she saw her original Shadow doll, along with a Sonic and Silver doll.

"You found them!" Janie squealed in glee. She gave the dolls a hug then Abby a hug. "Thank you!"

"I also brought Pictionary and the hair scrunchies," Abby continued.

"'Scrunchies'..." Janie chuckled. "You know I'm a 90s kid when."

Even this made Gibbs smirk a bit. Abby part Janie's hair in two.

"I see they got a vein," Abby noted with a smile.

"Yeah. Pale skin with no visible veins," Janie chuckled. "After two sticks, they called in Ursula the IV specialist."

"She's really nice. I've had her before when I give blood."

"It took thirty minutes to stick it in! But I suppose she wanted to be thorough."

"All done!"

Janie's hair was now in two low pigtails. Then Dr. Humphrey came in wearing her scrubs.

"We're all ready for you," she told Janie.

Janie kissed Gibbs on the cheek and watched him get smaller and smaller as she got rolled off. She signed ILOVEYOU to Gibbs, he signed the same thing back, then she went through the swinging O.R. doors.

"She's gonna be okay," Abby reassured her boss. "I'm gonna go get you some coffee."

Gibbs didn't say anything as Abby walked off.

Quiet and alone Gibbs felt as his mind started to go in some sort of trance. He felt himself talking, but only he could hear him. And words... words he'd never thought he'd say together.

 _"God, is this a prayer...? Am I praying...?"_

Gibbs was no spiritual man who sacrificed a male bull as a burnt offering like how they did in days of old. Unless being spiritual meant downing a bottle of bourbon and cooking a steak over an open fire, then by all means, he was so so spiritual. But right here, right now, his mind or his heart started to pray.

 _"God, if you're out there. I've never done this before. I don't even know if I'm doing this right! Am I doing anything right? Is this why you gave me Janie? Did I screw up to you? Well, I'm not apologizing if I did. Is she suppose to be my 'divine intervention'? Is she supposed to 'save' me? Or was this a coincidence? No... no such thing as a coincidence, even Janie told me that and I didn't even tell her that rule! Well, for whatever reason she came into my life... ugh... t-thank you. She's not Kelly, but she is mine. And I promise to take care of her. Umm... Amen, I guess."_

* * *

What was suppose to be a one-hour operation turned into two. Gibbs wasn't a sitter or pacer when he was at a hospital, he just stood at the door until the doctor would come out. This day was no different. Then the doctor finally came out of the operating room.

"How is she?" Was the first thing that came out of Gibbs' mouth.

"She's doing fine," Dr. Humphrey replied. "She's in Recovery now." Pause.

"What else?"

"There was no complications with the operation, but once I got in, I saw that the cancer had spread to everything. I had to perform a full hysterectomy. Due to this, she will most likely go into pre-menopause," another pause. "You can go see her now, if you'd like."

Dr. Humphrey walked away, leaving Gibbs to absorb all that he had just heard. Did his prayer not work? Was this 'god' teaching both of them a lesson? Or was it something else...?

* * *

Later the next day, Gibbs and his team went to go visit Janie in her hospital bed. There they played a game of Pictionary; since Gibbs wasn't into games of any kind, he just watched. Abby and Janie vs. Tony and Tim. Ziva would have come, but she wasn't the type to play a game where when someone said 'cutting cold turkey' actually meant that literally. The teams played through a couple of rounds before the room was filled with laughter.

"McScribble, what the heck is that?" Tony groaned as he pointed at Tim's sketch.

"It's suppose to be a stirring motion," Tim replied.

"Well, we're never gonna win with you drawing."

"Let me see," Abby said.

Tim showed her the drawing and Abby broke out into uncontrollable giggles. Janie saw it and started to giggle too. Soon, Tony and Tim were starting to chuckle. Soon, the four were laughing so hard, especially Janie. She laughed so hard, she had to stop because her stitches hurt from the laughing. But it was a deep, belly laugh that echoed through the room.

"Wow! I've never heard you laugh like that before!" Tim exclaimed.

"I'm sorry to laugh, but after seeing that I couldn't help myself."

"I think Little Timmy means your laugh woke the dead," Tony clarified.

"Oh... well, I can't help it. Ever since I found out I had my mom's laugh, I can't laugh any other way. I was a very lonely kid growing up, and when I found comedy and laughter, I never let it go."

 _Her mom"s laugh..._

Gibbs thought Chloe could only laugh like that. Still it made him wonder. Janie could never had kids, she would go into early menopause, and her chances of getting married were, more or less, less likely because of her barren state. Still, she seemed... okay... with it. He didn't get it. He had told her the news about her operation, but she quietly took the news and rested up. Maybe she _did_ have a peace with her, maybe Chloe _was_ with her.

Maybe she _was_ going to be okay.


	22. New Beginnings

**Sorry for the delay, but I'm afraid this is going to be the last chapter. This is going to be a POV chapter, more of Janie and Gibbs "talking", like how Tony talked at his last episode at the end. I really enjoyed writing the story and I want to thank my faithful followers for reading and reviewing. I hope to see you all soon and may you keep fanfictioning, if that's a word lol!**

 **I do not own the song used: Arms of an Angel by Sarah McLachlan. I was looking for the perfect song, and I figured this was it.**

* * *

 **Gibbs' POV**

My name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I am a Special Agent of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. I investigate the crimes committed against the United States Marines, the Navy and their families. I don't like talking a lot, let alone talking about myself. But I will say this: I found out I have a daughter.

 _Spend all your time waiting_

 _For that second chance_

 _For a break that would make it okay_

 _There's always some reason_

 _To feel not good enough_

 _And it's hard, at the end of the day_

 _I need some distraction_

 _Oh, beautiful release_

 _Memories seep from my veins_

 _And maybe empty_

 _Oh, and weightless, and maybe_

 _I'll find some peace tonight_

 _In the arms of the angel_

 _Fly away from here_

 _From this dark, cold hotel room_

 _And the endlessness that you fear_

 _You are pulled from the wreckage_

 _Of your silent reverie_

 _You're in the arms of the angel_

 _May you find some comfort here_

 **Janie's POV**

My name is Janie Cooper-Gibbs. I am a young Christian woman who was born with high-functioning autism. Yes, I know they can't prove anyone can be born with it, but I do not remember a 'normal' day in my life. For the first score of my life, I lived with my single-parent mom, Chloe Cooper: a former First Sergeant of the United States Marines.

Growing up, I never made friends and was usually a target for bullies. Whatever flaw they saw on me, they ripped me apart because of it. Many nights I cried myself to sleep, even praying for death some nights. It's sad, yes. But I was always reminded that I would be the better off one.

I was twenty-three years old when I watched my mom get shot in front of me for something she wasn't suppose to see. This was the first time I saw pure evil. That day I lost one parent and gained another: Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs of the Navel Criminal Investigative Service. All I knew about my father was what my mother told me: I was produced from a one-night stand, she never once regretted keeping me, and I had my father's eyes.

I currently live with my father in his 90s styled home; I don't mind it. I'm glad I found my father, but it doesn't make missing my mom hurt less.

 _So tired of the straight line_

 _And everywhere you turn_

 _There's vultures and thieves at your back_

 _The storm keeps on twisting_

 _Keep on building the lies_

 _That you make up for all that you lack_

 _It don't make no difference_

 _Escape one last time_

 _It's easier to believe in this sweet madness_

 _Oh, this glorious sadness_

 _That brings me to my knees_

 _In the arms of the angel_

 _Fly away from here_

 _From this dark, cold hotel room_

 _And the endlessness that you fear_

 _You are pulled from the wreckage_

 _Of your silent reverie_

 _You're in the arms of the angel_

 _May you find some comfort here_

 **Normal POV**

Gibbs continued to solve cases and Janie decided to go to college for forensics. But they knew as long as they had each other and their 'family', they would be okay.

 _You're in the arms of the angel_

 _May you find some comfort here_


End file.
